JPYC provides information to the Japan Fair Trade Commission regarding yen stablecoin payment discounts.

October 9: Japanese yen stablecoin issuer JPYC said today that on September 14 it provided information to the Japan Fair Trade Commission regarding the competitive environment for cashless payments amid the spread of stablecoin payments. Since its issuance in October 2025, JPYC has been used at more than 150 stores. Because it completes value transfers directly via blockchain, it does not charge merchant fees to stores, making its costs significantly lower than existing cashless payments.

Some stores want to pass cost savings back to customers using JPYC by offering discounts, free shipping, and other benefits, but are concerned about violating credit card merchant agreement clauses that prohibit surcharges, prohibit cash discounts, and prohibit inducing the use of other payment methods. JPYC believes that which payment methods to accept and how to set prices are free business decisions for stores, and that passing cost reductions back to customers benefits consumers and competition; a 2022 report by the Fair Trade Commission also pointed out that blanket prohibitions on such conduct may in certain circumstances constitute an antitrust law issue, and this view applies equally to stablecoin benefits.