Japanese stablecoin issuer JPYC Inc. announced Wednesday that it has raised a total of 6 billion yen ($38 million) following the conclusion of its extended Series B financing round. The capital injection will accelerate the expansion of the company’s financial and Web3 ecosystem, driving broader commercial adoption of its regulated yen-backed digital currency, JPYC. The extended round features a new 1 billion yen ($6.3 million) commitment from Tokyo-listed logistics firm AZ-COM Maruwa Holdings, following an earlier 400 million yen ($2.53 million) investment from Metaplanet Ventures in March.
AZ-COM Maruwa’s financial backing marks a transition from prospective corporate user to strategic equity partner. The logistics operator, which counts Amazon Japan among its major clients, intends to utilize JPYC to settle transportation-related fees and pay salaries across its network of roughly 2,300 business partners and independent contractors. By adopting a fee-free stablecoin model, the firm aims to facilitate faster, more frequent settlements than conventional banking rails allow. The company also noted that faster payouts serve as an operational strategy to retain workers amid severe labor shortages driven by Japan’s aging demographic and stricter overtime caps.
The fresh funding comes as JPYC expands beyond crypto trading into everyday retail payments. JPYC is currently participating in a real-world stablecoin payment pilot with major convenience store operator Lawson. The trial, conducted in partnership with HashPort Wallet at Lawson’s Takanawa Gateway City location, tests direct point-of-sale register integration rather than relying on dedicated external terminals. Lawson plans to expand the initiative to include invited participants using JPYC, USDC, and USDT to evaluate wallet integration, processing speeds, and operational viability ahead of any potential nationwide rollout. The stablecoin is also seeing adoption across selected Chibo restaurant locations and several dental clinics in Tokyo and Chiba.
Beyond its equity participation, Tokyo-listed Metaplanet has partnered with JPYC, Progmat, and Metaplanet Securities on a joint initiative to examine the use of Bitcoin as collateral for tokenized corporate bonds and credit products. Within the proposed framework, Metaplanet and its securities division are evaluating product design and distribution, while JPYC focuses on stablecoin issuance, redemption, and settlement mechanisms. Infrastructure provider Progmat is managing the security token framework intended to log investor ownership and facilitate transfers, though the group emphasized that any eventual launch remains subject to regulatory review and technical validation.
JPYC’s capital raise reflects wider momentum across Japan’s regulated digital asset sector, backed by proactive government oversight and institutional involvement. SBI Group recently launched JPYSC, Japan’s first trust bank-backed yen stablecoin, while major banking institutions MUFG, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and Mizuho Bank continue to build a joint yen-backed stablecoin targeting live settlement operations. Furthermore, recent amendments to Japan’s Financial Instruments and Exchange Act formally reclassified cryptocurrencies as financial products, establishing the regulatory foundation for domestic crypto exchange-traded funds, insider trading enforcement, and updated digital asset tax frameworks.
