Japanese logistics firm adopts JPYC stablecoin for driver payouts

AZ-COM Maruwa Holdings will begin paying roughly 2,300 business partners and truck drivers using the JPYC stablecoin. The Japanese logistics company is also considering a 1 billion yen ($6.16 million) investment in JPYC Inc. to formalize the partnership.

The move is a direct response to Japan's acute logistics labor shortage. An aging workforce and recent regulatory caps on driver overtime have severely constrained freight capacity across the country. By utilizing stablecoins to accelerate payment settlement, AZ-COM Maruwa hopes to attract independent contractors who prioritize immediate cash flow over traditional monthly billing cycles.

This deployment marks the first large-scale corporate use of JPYC. The token is the first yen-pegged stablecoin to obtain official registration in Japan since launching last October. Securing a major logistics operator provides JPYC with a high-volume use case as its onchain circulation surpasses 2 billion yen ($12.3 million).

Corporate adoption of JPYC is widening beyond the freight sector. Lawson, the country's third-largest convenience store chain, is currently running a pilot to let customers pay with the stablecoin. On the investment side, Metaplanet Ventures deployed 400 million yen ($2.46 million) into JPYC Inc.’s Series B financing round in March.

Traditional financial institutions are simultaneously moving to capture the stablecoin market. SBI Group introduced JPYSC in June, becoming the first trust bank-backed yen stablecoin in the country. Furthermore, three of Japan's megabanks—MUFG, SMBC, and Mizuho—plan to initiate live commercial transactions using a jointly issued stablecoin during fiscal year 2026.

For market participants, the logistics sector's pivot signals that stablecoins are moving into practical supply chain solutions. As regulatory clarity improves, legacy financial institutions and industrial corporations are positioning themselves to compete in a digitized domestic payments landscape. The entry of major commercial banks alongside early issuers like JPYC suggests the infrastructure for a tokenized yen is rapidly taking shape.