stable coins
By Steven Anderson
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Netstars Launches Multi-Stablecoin Merchant Service. Netstars, a payments technology company operating in Japan, has launched a merchant service that…
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What the Tokyo Trial Could Mean for Japanese Retail. Stablecoin adoption in retail is hard. Not because the technology doesn't work — it mostly does —…
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Japan's convenience store giant Lawson is running a live stablecoin payment trial in Tokyo, accepting yen-backed digital currency at the register.
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Lawson is a massive name in Japanese daily life. The chain operates thousands of locations across the country, selling everything from rice balls to insurance products.
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Running alongside the Lawson pilot is a separate but related move from Netstars.
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Netstars, a payments technology company operating in Japan, has launched a merchant service that lets businesses accept stablecoin payments across three major tokens: USDC, USDT,…
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The service is designed to lower the friction for businesses that want to get into digital payments but don't know where to start.
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The timing of both moves isn't random. Japan has been quietly building one of the more coherent regulatory frameworks for digital assets in Asia.
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Related: USDT and USDC Shed $10B in Supply Since May Peak
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But Lawson's trial is at least asking the question in a real environment. And Netstars adding USDC and USDT to its merchant service opens the door for foreign visitors and…
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The JPYC angle is worth watching separately. It's a domestic stablecoin, yen-denominated, and its inclusion in Netstars' service means Japanese consumers don't need to touch a…
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No word yet on transaction volumes from the Lawson trial, and Netstars hasn't shared merchant sign-up numbers since the service launched.
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More context: USDT Hits 35% of Stablecoin Market — and the Numbers Dont Quite Add Up
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What's clear is that both companies are moving, and they're moving at the same time. Lawson brings the consumer-facing test. Netstars brings the merchant-side plumbing.
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Japan's retail payment landscape has been shifting for years, pushed by QR code systems and contactless cards.
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