Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) has given the green light to a pilot program for yen-backed stablecoins, led by three of the country’s biggest banks.
According to the official announcement, the three major banks are Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), and Mizuho Financial Group.
The project is part of the FSA’s newly launched Payment Innovation Project (PIP), which operates under the FinTech Demonstration Hub, established in 2017 to support financial innovation and ease concerns around experimental projects.
The pilot, the first project selected under PIP, will test whether stablecoins can make payments faster and cheaper for businesses and consumers. The banks plan to issue yen-backed coins first and dollar-backed coins possibly later.
The FSA will oversee the pilot to ensure compliance, security, and full support of the tokens. There will be publications on findings regarding regulations and legal interpretations after the pilot.
Unlike earlier, more speculative crypto ventures, this pilot focuses squarely on high-value enterprise transactions. Mitsubishi Corporation will act as the first corporate user, testing the digital yen for payments between its Japanese headquarters and overseas subsidiaries.
Over the years, Japan has been taking steps to modernize its financial system through stablecoins.
Japan passed a law giving stablecoins legal recognition, treating them like digital money and protecting investors in 2022. The law says stablecoins must be tied to the yen or another official currency and be fully redeemable. Only licensed banks and trust companies can issue them.
Japan is also looking at wider use of stablecoins. In July 2024, digital bank Minna began testing stablecoins and Web3 wallets with Fireblocks, Solana, and TIS to make everyday payments easier. The bank plans to test stablecoins on the Solana blockchain and see if Web3 wallets can help users manage their money more easily.
Last month, Tokyo-based fintech company JPC Inc. launched JPYC, Japan’s first yen-backed stablecoin, after registering with the FSA in August. JPYC is pegged 1:1 to the yen and lets users send, receive, and redeem it instantly using blockchains like Avalanche, Ethereum, and Polygon.
The Payment Innovation Project (PIP) pilot represents an important step for Japan’s financial system. If successful, stablecoins could make payments faster, cheaper, and more reliable.
It also gives banks and regulators a safe way to try out digital currency and could become a model for secure, bank-issued stablecoins, helping to expand digital payments across the country.