Japanese logistics firm AZ COM Maruwa adopts JPYC for contractor payments

Japanese logistics firm AZ-COM Maruwa Holdings has announced plans to adopt the JPYC stablecoin for payments to about 2,300 business partners, in what is expected to become Japan’s first large-scale corporate use of a yen-denominated stablecoin.

Japanese business daily Nikkei reported that the logistics company will use JPYC to pay transportation-related fees and compensation to individual contractors, including truck drivers. Because the stablecoin does not charge transfer fees, the company expects to process payments more quickly and more frequently than through conventional bank transfers.

Alongside the payment rollout, AZ-COM Maruwa is considering a partnership with JPYC Inc. and an investment of more than 1 billion Japanese yen, or about $6.2 million, according to the report. The companies have not disclosed a timeline for either proposal.

AZ-COM Maruwa, a mid-sized logistics provider whose major customers include Amazon Japan, would become one of the first large corporations in the country to integrate a yen-backed stablecoin into routine business payments if the plan moves forward.

The proposed deployment comes as Japan continues reshaping its digital asset framework to accommodate institutional blockchain applications.

Earlier this month, Japan enacted amendments to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act that classify cryptocurrencies as financial products instead of payment instruments. As previously reported by crypto.news, the legislation also lays the legal groundwork for domestic crypto exchange-traded funds, introduces insider trading rules for digital assets and sets the stage for a separate crypto tax regime expected to take effect in 2028.

Corporate interest in regulated blockchain payments has also been increasing. Japan’s SBI Holdings and the Solana Foundation recently partnered to establish SBI Solana Global, a venture focused on building onchain financial infrastructure in Japan. Their plans include supporting yen-denominated stablecoins, tokenized securities and institutional settlement services.

Within that regulatory environment, businesses have started exploring stablecoins as a payment tool rather than limiting their use to crypto trading.

“We will continue to advance the integration of logistics and commercial payment flows with JPYC,” Noritaka Okabe, founder and chief executive officer of JPYC Inc., said in a statement.