Japan’s Stablecoin Push: Lawson Tests JPYC, SBI Preps JPYSC Yield

SBI launches JPYSC lending while Lawson pilots JPYC payments, signaling broader stablecoin adoption in Japan.

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Japan’s Stablecoin Push: Lawson Tests JPYC, SBI Preps JPYSC Yield


Lawson, Japan’s third-largest convenience store chain, will test JPYC stablecoin payments at a Tokyo store in August, marking Japan’s first POS-integrated stablecoin payment test and a step toward integrating yen-backed digital currencies into everyday retail transactions.

The trial comes as SBI Group prepares to launch a yield-bearing JPYSC lending service, signaling accelerating momentum for yen-pegged stablecoins across Japan’s financial and retail sectors.

How the Lawson JPYC Trial Works

Lawson signed a basic agreement with telecommunications company KDDI and blockchain firm HashPort to test JPYC payments at a single store in Tokyo starting in August 2026. 

The pilot will be limited to employees of the three participating companies and will evaluate point-of-sale integration, checkout processing times, and mobile wallet usability. 

Customers will scan mobile wallet barcodes at checkout, while HashPort updates balances based on verified transaction data from the POS system. 

Lawson operates 14,697 stores nationwide and reported net sales of over $18.68 billion for fiscal year 2026. 

JPYC, issued by JPYC Inc., launched on October 27, 2025, as Japan’s first legally registered yen stablecoin under the Payment Services Act, and its on-chain circulation recently surpassed $12.36 million.

The retail trial follows another major milestone for the sector after Japan’s three megabanks — MUFG, SMBC, and Mizuho — announced plans last month to begin live commercial transactions with a jointly issued stablecoin during fiscal year 2026.

SBI’s Broader Stablecoin Push

Accordingly, a major Japanese financial conglomerate, SBI Group, is reportedly preparing a new lending product that lets users earn a 3% annual yield on JPYSC, its yen-backed stablecoin.

According to a Nikkei report, the service, expected to launch through SBI VC Trade as early as this month, would offer a three-month fixed-term lending product. 

The initiative follows SBI’s recent launch of JPYSC, Japan’s first trust bank-backed yen stablecoin, as part of its broader strategy to expand digital asset-based financial services.

Why Japan’s Stablecoin Market Matters

Japan’s stablecoin sector is moving from regulatory groundwork toward real-world use, spanning institutional finance and everyday retail. The Lawson and SBI initiatives show how legally registered yen stablecoins are starting to integrate into Japan’s traditional economy.

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Startale Unveils Next Phase of Onchain Finance at WebX

Tokyo, Japan, 13th July 2026, Chainwire

Startale Unveils Next Phase of Onchain Finance at WebX

Startale launches Startale OFK for institutions and Startale Card for consumers, expanding its vision for the onchain economy 

Startale Group today unveiled two major product launches at WebX 2026, introducing Startale Onchain Finance Kits (OFK), a suite of proprietary onchain financial infrastructure software kits for financial institutions and enterprises, alongside Startale Card, a self-custodial Visa card that enables users to spend their Soneium assets anywhere Visa is accepted.

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Together, the launches reflect Startale’s long-term strategy of building the foundational infrastructure for the onchain economy. As financial institutions increasingly move from blockchain experimentation toward production deployments, consumers are also seeking more practical ways to earn, hold, and spend digital assets in everyday life. Through OFK and Startale Card, Startale is expanding its ecosystem to support both institutional adoption and consumer utility.

Designed for financial institutions and enterprises, Startale OFK enables organizations to accelerate their journey from traditional finance to the onchain economy across key markets, including Japan and the United States.

Over the past several years, Startale has worked alongside leading enterprises, financial institutions, and ecosystem partners to build and deploy blockchain infrastructure at scale. Through initiatives including Soneium, JPYSC, Strium, Startale App, and other enterprise blockchain projects, the company has developed expertise across institutional trading, bond issuance, privacy, developer infrastructure, blockchain development, and stablecoins.

Building on that experience, Startale OFK provides institutions with a defined, ready-to-deploy infrastructure framework that removes the need to build core onchain capabilities from the ground up. The framework spans Stablecoin Infrastructure, Wallet Infrastructure, Digital Asset Tools, Privacy Infrastructure, Developer Infrastructure, and Blockchain and Settlement Infrastructure. Startale also plans to expand OFK with new Tokenization Infrastructure and Custody Wallet API tools, further strengthening the foundation for regulated onchain financial services and digital asset markets.

“Financial institutions are no longer asking whether onchain finance will become part of the future financial system. They are asking how to participate,” said Sota Watanabe, CEO of Startale Group. “OFK represents the experience, infrastructure, and expertise we have built over years of working with enterprises and institutions. Our goal is to help organizations move faster, reduce complexity, and unlock new opportunities in the onchain economy.”

Complementing its institutional offering, Startale also introduced Startale Card, marking the next evolution of the Startale App as the App for More than Money.

Today, users can earn, trade, explore Mini Apps, and unlock rewards across the Soneium ecosystem. With Startale Card and upcoming earning opportunities on the Startale App, users will soon be able to deposit eligible assets into yield-generating vaults while spending against those same holdings, bringing saving, earning, and spending together in a single financial experience.

Built on Soneium, the Ethereum Layer 2 developed with Sony Group, Startale Card connects onchain balances directly to everyday payments at more than 150 million merchants worldwide where Visa is accepted. Unlike conventional crypto cards that require custodial accounts or locked assets, eligible assets can continue generating yield until they are used for payment, while users also receive cashback in USDSC credited directly to their account.

“We’ve always believed onchain technology should improve everyday financial experiences, not complicate them,” said Watanabe. “With Startale Card, Startale App evolves into a platform where users can seamlessly manage, grow, and spend their wealth. This marks a major milestone in our vision to become the App for More than Money.”

The Startale Card waitlist is now live in the Startale App, ahead of the public launch. Together, Startale OFK and Startale Card reflect Startale’s vision of bringing the world onchain by connecting traditional financial systems with open blockchain networks. By enabling institutions to launch new products, enter new markets, and participate in emerging financial networks while giving consumers new ways to manage, grow, and spend their digital assets, Startale continues to build the infrastructure for the next generation of onchain finance.

About Startale Group

Startale Group is a leading global crypto solutions provider on a mission to build the next civilization by bringing the world onchain. The company co-develops Soneium with Sony Group Corporation and is developing Strium through SBI Holdings, a platform enabling 24/7 trading of tokenized securities. Startale powers onchain finance through its native stablecoins JPYSC and USDSC, and offers the Startale App, a SuperApp that unifies asset management, engagement and exploring blockchain applications into a single seamless experience.

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Startale
marketing@startale.com

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