JCB to Launch USDC Stablecoin Pilot for Tourists in Japan

JCB, Japan's card network, is launching a USDC stablecoin pilot for tourist payments at a Tokyo merchant by year-end, in partnership with Circle. The test addresses currency conversion friction and high fees for international visitors, and signals Japan's regulatory openness to regulated digital money in retail. If you're building stablecoin payment infrastructure for travel or cross-border commerce, JCB just opened a door that was locked six months ago: Japan's biggest card network is moving USDC into live merchant terminals. Circle has the beachhead; the next entrant needs to find the gaps Circle can't fill — faster settlement for specific merchant types, or lower merchant fees for specific geographies.