Digital Garage, JCB, and Resona Pursue Stablecoin Payment Trials in Japan

Innovative Stablecoin Payment Trials in Japan

In a move aimed at paving the way for stablecoin adoption, Digital Garage, JCB, and Resona Holdings are set to engage in a groundbreaking experiment. This endeavor, slated for February 24 to March 2, 2026, will focus on utilizing stablecoins—specifically USD Coin (USDC) and Japan’s own JPYC—within physical store environments. The initiative highlights a collaborative effort alongside My Wallet, a Web3 startup actively involved in digital asset management.

Objectives of the Experiment

The primary goal of this experimental trial is to validate the concept of stablecoin transactions in brick-and-mortar settings. By integrating My Wallet's self-custodial wallet technology, participants will be able to conduct transactions using stablecoins, allowing the involved firms to analyze the entire payment process from customers' experiences and blockchain processing to post-transaction operations. This comprehensive assessment aims to identify practical challenges and gather valuable insights that could ease the future implementation of stablecoin payments in society.

Experiment Overview

- Duration: The trial will run from February 24 to March 2, 2026, and will only be available on weekdays after 2 PM.
- Location: The participating store is Pangaea Cafe & Bar, situated on the 10th floor of Shibuya Parco DG Building, Tokyo.
- Employed Assets: Participants can use both USDC, a dollar-backed stablecoin on the Base chain, and JPYC, which operates on the Polygon network.
- Wallets: The transactions will utilize the Base App for USDC payments and My Wallet for JPYC payments.
- Target Participants: General individuals are invited to take part in this unique offering.

Roles of Participating Companies

Each company involved brings its unique expertise and foundations into play for this experiment:

- Digital Garage is spearheading the project’s overall planning while lending its web3 knowledge and experience in cryptocurrency exchange operations.
- JCB will analyze the cashless payment ecosystem, leveraging its extensive experience with credit card transactions to explore merchant payment solutions.
- Resona Holdings will apply its traditional banking insights to advance the initiative, focusing on retail integration of stablecoin payments.
- My Wallet serves as a cornerstone by offering a robust payment interface dubbed