The Japanese convenience store chain Lawson will take another step in the adoption of cryptocurrencies for retail payments. The company will begin a pilot project that will allow consumers to pay for their purchases using the JPYC stablecoin, expanding tests of digital assets in physical establishments in Japan.
The initiative will begin in early August at a store located in the Takanawa Gateway City complex, in Tokyo. The test is part of a proof of concept developed in partnership with KDDI, Japan's second-largest telecommunications operator, and HashPort, a company specializing in digital wallets compatible with JPYC transactions.
The goal of the project is to assess the use of stablecoins in everyday purchases, offering an alternative to traditional payment methods. If the results are positive, the experience could serve as a basis for future expansions of the technology in other establishments.
Lawson currently ranks third among the largest convenience store chains in Japan, behind only Seven-Eleven and FamilyMart. The company operates about 14,7 thousand units across the country and recorded net sales exceeding 3 trillion yen in fiscal year 2026, consolidating its presence in Japanese retail.
JPYC was launched in October of last year as the first yen-backed stablecoin registered after the licensing rules for stablecoin issuers established by Japanese regulators in 2023 came into effect. Since then, the project has been expanding its presence in the local market.
Recently, the company reported that the volume of JPYC in circulation on the blockchain surpassed 2 billion yen. The digital currency was created to maintain a 1:1 parity with the Japanese yen, allowing its value to track the country's fiat currency directly.
The stablecoin is available on different blockchain networks, including Ethereum, Avalanche, Polygon, and Kaia. According to JPYC Inc., all issued units are fully backed by reserves composed of yen deposits and Japanese government bonds, following the requirements set out in Japan's Payment Services Act.
In addition to expanding into retail, the company is also seeking to broaden the digital currency's applications in other segments of the economy. Among the most recent initiatives is a partnership with Metaplanet and Progmat to study digital credit solutions using bitcoin, stablecoins, and financial asset tokens, indicating that the Japanese market continues to expand the use of cryptocurrencies in practical applications in the financial and commercial sector.