- Convenience store chain Lawson announced the integration of stablecoin payments to its POS system, offering near-instant settlement and cheaper transaction fees than credit card and QR-based payments.
Japan continues its push to be at the forefront of the fintech revolution. Thanks to its crypto-friendly regime, more participants are joining the space to explore the real-world application of digital assets.
Lawson, one of the largest convenience store chains in Japan, has stepped up as the first in the country to offer stablecoin payments linked to a POS (Point of Sale) system.
Lawson’s JPYC Stablecoin Experiment
According to Lawson, it will run the experiment phase at its Takanawa Gateway City store in Minato Ward, Tokyo. The trial period will start in early August and will support transactions in JPYC, a stablecoin pegged 1:1 to the Japanese yen.
Hashport, a top non-custodial wallet solutions provider in Japan, partnered with Lawson to enable seamless payments directly from an integrated app within consumers’ smartphones to the store’s POS terminal.
How It Works
The framework benefits from the near-real-time and efficient settlement rails of stablecoins. JPYC stands out for its zero fees for purchases and redemptions. However, consumers will still be charged minimal merchant fees when using it at Lawson’s POS. Nonetheless, the company boasts that the transaction cost will be significantly lower than that of standard credit card or QR code payments.
Lawson’s stablecoin payment system is pretty straightforward. First, a shopper must open the Hashport digital wallet app. A store clerk then scans the barcode using a POS terminal. After that, Hashport updates the stablecoin balance using the payment information.
If the experiment is successful, the convenience store giant plans to fully integrate the POS-based stablecoin payment system throughout its other branches in Japan. As of January 2026, Lawson operates 14,693 stores, with the Kanto region accounting for 4,624 stores.
JPYC’s Performance
JPYC Inc., a Tokyo-registered fintech firm founded in 2019, launched JPYC in October 2025. Currently, the stablecoin has an estimated $15.81 million market cap, based on its issuer’s self-reported 2.14 billion circulating supply.
The asset is the first legally recognized yen-backed stablecoin in Japan. It’s backed by 1:1 yen deposits and Japanese government bonds and regulated under the Payment Services Act framework.
JPYC initially issued its stablecoin on Ethereum (ETH), Polygon (POL), and Avalanche (AVAX) chains. It expanded to the Kaia Network (KAIA) in mid-May, leveraging the high-profile merger of Kakao’s Klaytn and LINE’s Finschia networks.
