Credit card giant JCB teams up with Circle to bring stablecoins to regular stores

Japan’s largest card network JCB has enlisted Circle (CRCL) to explore using stablecoins for cross-border payments and merchant transactions, the companies announced Tuesday .

The two firms have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore stablecoin payments for merchants serving international visitors, as Japan’s payment industry accelerates efforts to introduce blockchain payments into everyday use across the country.

JCB, which has 140 million users and 40 million merchants worldwide, and Circle will explore how stablecoins can enhance cross-border treasury operations and payments. Initial efforts will focus on a proof of concept for JCB's internal fund transfers. They will also explore ways to improve payment efficiency, reduce remittance costs and support broader cross-border payments using USDC, the world’s second-largest with a market capitalization of nearly $73 billion .

The companies will also explore in-store stablecoin payments for merchants and international visitors to Japan.

“Stablecoins are gaining attention around the world as a foundation for creating a new ecosystem in cashless societies, given their high level of convenience,” the statement noted.

They highlighted that stablecoins bring a wide range of benefits, including “reducing the burden of currency exchange for inbound tourists, further improving the efficiency of fund settlement, and improving cash flow for merchants.”

Tourists in Japan primarily use bank cards for payments, but there are spending limits, which can be bypassed with stablecoins, according to a report by Nikkei .

The collaboration is part of a growing wave of stablecoin initiatives in Japan following regulatory changes that have opened the market to broader adoption. Circle has said it would partner with Nomura to develop a USDC-based foreign exchange settlement service for Japanese businesses as early as 2027.

Lawson, one of Japan's largest convenience store chains, will accept stablecoins at its stores as part of a pilot that starts in August, according to a separate Nikkei report . The retailer plans to begin trials at its Lawson Takanawa Gateway City store in Tokyo with telecom operator KDDI and digital asset wallet provider Hashport, using KDDI's yen-denominated stablecoin, JPYC, the report said.

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