Lawson to Test Yen Stablecoin Payments at Tokyo Store

Japan’s Lawson, the country’s third-largest convenience store chain, is set to trial stablecoin payments at one of its Tokyo locations. According to report, the Takanawa Gateway City branch will begin accepting the yen-pegged stablecoin JPYC starting in early August. The pilot is being run alongside telecom operator KDDI and crypto wallet provider HashPort, which supports JPYC transactions.

Lawson’s Scale in Japan

Lawson operates nearly 14,700 stores across Japan and reported over 3.02 trillion yen, roughly $18.68 billion, in net sales for the 2026 fiscal year. It ranks behind Seven-Eleven and FamilyMart in market size.

About JPYC

JPYC became Japan’s first registered yen backed stablecoin when it launched last October, following licensing rules introduced by Japanese regulators in 2023. The token is fully backed by yen deposits and government bonds, in line with the country’s Payment Services Act, and runs on several blockchains including Ethereum, Avalanche, Polygon, and Kaia. Its circulation recently crossed 2 billion yen, around $12.36 million.

Wider Push Into Digital Assets

JPYC has also joined a separate study with Metaplanet and Progmat looking into digital credit tied to bitcoin, stablecoins, and security tokens, signaling a broader push to expand its footprint in Japan’s crypto sector.