JCB has launched a USDC payment pilot—tourists can pay directly without exchanging currency, and the fees are also lower. This move is going quite smoothly.

JCB has reached a cooperation with Circle’s affiliated entities, and plans to test USDC payments within the year at a store in Tokyo with a high number of foreign tourists, evaluating expansion to more partner merchants. The pilot is intended to reduce tourists’ currency exchange steps and lower payment processing fees. Previously, JCB had tested offline USDC and JPYC payments with Digital Garage, Resona Holdings, and others; Japan has also recently been accelerating stablecoin merchant payment trials, including Lawson planning to test JPYC in-store settlement in August. (CoinPost)