Osaka Prefecture Approves Funding for Four Financial Demonstration Projects, Three Involving JPYC and USDC Payments

Osaka Prefecture announced on August 26, 2026, the projects selected for the "Subsidy for Support of Pioneering Financial Market Formation in Osaka Prefecture for Fiscal Year 2026." Out of 12 applications, four projects were adopted, with a total funding amount of 28.89 million yen.

Among the four selected projects, three involve payment demonstrations using JPYC, a yen-denominated stablecoin, and USDC, a US dollar-denominated stablecoin. Mitsui Sumitomo Card is participating in the demonstration with payment terminals, showcasing the expansion of stablecoin payments in physical stores within Osaka Prefecture.

This subsidy targets demonstration experiments for new financial services utilizing innovative technologies such as blockchain and AI, with a maximum of 10 million yen per project, covering up to half of the eligible expenses. The application period runs from July 1 to July 31, 2026, and the evaluation was conducted based on opinions from an external expert review committee.

The three adopted projects share the commonality of using stablecoins in physical stores and payment terminals within Osaka Prefecture. The scenarios envisioned include yen settlement for participating merchants, physical store payments around universities, and payment terminal demonstrations using My Number cards, each with different contexts.

Mai Wallet and Mitsui Sumitomo Card Conduct Payment Demonstration

Mai Wallet Co., Ltd. will collaborate with Mitsui Sumitomo Card to demonstrate payments using yen-denominated JPYC and US dollar-denominated USDC through the "Mai Wallet" app, which utilizes the My Number card as a "digital asset wallet." Payments will be conducted on Mitsui Sumitomo Card's all-in-one payment terminal, "stera terminal."

The implementation period is expected to be from October 2026 to around February 2027, lasting from a few days to about a month. The venues will be event facilities and commercial establishments within Osaka Prefecture, with multiple candidates currently under coordination. The funding amount for this project is 7.64 million yen.

HashPort and Mi&T Validate In-Store Payments

HashPort Co., Ltd. will establish a system for merchants concerned about accepting payments in stablecoins, allowing them to settle received payments in Japanese yen. They will implement a dual-line payment API that accommodates escrow-type payments (where a third party temporarily holds the payment until contract conditions are fulfilled) used in e-commerce sites, targeting merchants and residents in Osaka Prefecture for demonstration. The implementation period is expected to be over one week between January and March 2027, with a funding amount of 10 million yen.

Mi&T Co., Ltd., a venture originating from Osaka Public University, will demonstrate in-store payments using JPYC at approximately five restaurants and retail stores around the university. The aim is to provide user incentives based on payment usage and improve operational efficiency for stores, with plans to expand from the university area to local shopping streets and regional stores. The implementation period is from mid-November 2026 to mid-March 2027, with a funding amount of 1.25 million yen.

On-Chain Trade Factoring Also Approved

The remaining project was submitted by SBI XDC Network APAC Co., Ltd. and does not directly involve stablecoins. In collaboration with TOPPAN Co., Ltd. and Ginco Co., Ltd., it combines a KYB (Know Your Business) scheme using a digital certificate issuance and verification platform for corporations, "vLEI," with the on-chain process of export factoring (a financing method for cashing in receivables from trade transactions).

Using a case study of a used auto parts exporter in Osaka Prefecture, the project will validate the entire process from KYB to executing factoring and collecting payments. The main demonstration is scheduled for January to March 2027, with a funding amount of 10 million yen.