Key Takeaways
JPYC, issuer of Japan's first registered yen stablecoin, has raised a cumulative 6 billion yen, about $38 million, through an extended Series B announced Thursday.
The extension includes 1 billion yen from Tokyo-listed logistics firm AZ-COM Maruwa, which plans to pay about 2,300 drivers and subcontractors in JPYC, plus an earlier 400 million yen from Metaplanet Ventures.
Convenience chain Lawson is piloting JPYC payments at a Tokyo store, with a second test set to accept JPYC, USDC and USDT through MetaMask.
JPYC, the company behind Japan's first registered yen stablecoin, said Thursday it has raised a cumulative 6 billion yen, about $38 million, through an extended Series B round, per the company's announcement. The money goes toward its payment infrastructure, its Web3 ecosystem, and wider adoption of the stablecoin, which launched last October under Japan's licensing regime.
The most notable part of this is who invested. The extension includes 1 billion yen from AZ-COM Maruwa Holdings, the Tokyo-listed logistics company that plans to pay transportation fees and salaries to about 2,300 trucking partners and independent contractors in JPYC, a rollout we covered in July as the first large-scale corporate stablecoin payroll in Japan. The company expects faster settlement and more frequent payments than bank transfers, and it sees the setup as a response to Japan's driver shortage, per CoinGape. Metaplanet Ventures put in 400 million yen earlier this year.
Retail is testing the other end of the transaction. Lawson has launched a pilot at its Takanawa Gateway City store in Tokyo that lets customers pay with JPYC through HashPort Wallet on existing point-of-sale systems, and a second trial will let invited participants pay with JPYC, USDC and USDT through MetaMask at another location. Japan's bigger banks are moving too, with SBI planning its own trust-bank-backed yen stablecoin and MUFG, SMBC and Mizuho developing a joint one. The raise lands the same week Japan and the US confirmed their first joint yen intervention in 15 years. The yen is having a year, and the digital version of it is quietly building rails from truck cabs to convenience store counters.
People Also Ask
What is JPYC?
JPYC is Japan's first registered yen-pegged stablecoin, issued by Tokyo-based JPYC Inc. under Japan's regulatory framework for stablecoin issuers. It launched in October 2025 and is used for business payments, payroll pilots and retail checkout trials.
Who invested in JPYC's Series B extension?
The extended Series B, totaling about 6 billion yen or $38 million, includes a 1 billion yen investment from Tokyo-listed logistics company AZ-COM Maruwa Holdings and an earlier 400 million yen investment from Metaplanet Ventures.
Can you pay with stablecoins at Lawson stores in Japan?
A pilot is underway. Lawson's Takanawa Gateway City store in Tokyo accepts JPYC through HashPort Wallet on existing point-of-sale systems, and a second invite-only trial will accept JPYC, USDC and USDT through MetaMask at another location while Lawson evaluates settlement speed and store operations.
Why would a company pay salaries in stablecoin?
AZ-COM Maruwa says stablecoin payroll settles faster and can run more frequently than traditional bank transfers, which matters for contractors who want quicker access to earnings. The company also views it as a way to strengthen ties with drivers amid Japan's labor shortage and stricter overtime rules.