Japanese Logistics Giant AZ-COM Maruwa Introduces Industry-First JPYC Stablecoin, Paying Shipping Fees to 2,300 Partners

On July 19, 2026, Japanese logistics giant AZ-COM Maruwa announced that it would use JPYC, a yen-pegged stablecoin, to pay shipping fees to 2,300 subcontractors within its network. This decision is expected to be the first case in Japan where stablecoins are applied on a large scale to B2B transfers of a payroll nature. This initiative is an attempt to resolve chronic payment delays and high transaction costs in the logistics industry based on the clarification of the regulatory framework.

The introduction of JPYC is an innovative measure to solve the chronic payment delay problem in the logistics industry and provide immediate liquidity to partners.

AZ-COM Maruwa is one of Amazon's key logistics partners in Japan, and through the introduction of this system, it plans to provide delivery drivers with a payment environment that is faster and has almost no fees compared to the existing banking system. In particular, providing incentives through digital currency is expected to play a key role in solving the labor shortage phenomenon known as the '2024 Problem' facing the Japanese logistics industry. Subcontractors will now be able to settle shipping payments more frequently and more quickly.

FSA Deregulation and the Growth of JPYC

The background that made this large-scale introduction possible is the clarification of regulations by the Financial Services Agency (FSA) of Japan. New enforcement decrees and guidelines that took effect on June 1, 2026, clarified the legal status of stablecoins and resolved the 'gray zone' issues that had existed. JPYC Inc., the issuer of JPYC, already completed its registration as a fund transfer service provider in August 2025 and has been preparing to settle into the institutional system by starting to issue JPYC tailored to the new regulatory environment from October of the same year.

• August 2025: JPYC Inc. completes registration as a Funds Transfer Service Provider in Japan and establishes a legal foundation.
• March 2026: Raised 1.78 billion yen in investment through Series B1 funding.
• May 2026: Finalized a Series B investment round totaling 5 billion yen, led by Iyogin Capital and Global Brain.
• June 2026: The Japanese Financial Services Agency's new enforcement ordinance regarding stablecoins takes effect, improving the distribution environment for overseas and domestic stablecoins.
• July 19, 2026: AZ-COM Maruwa officially announces the introduction of JPYC payments for 2,300 partner companies.

JPYC operates on major blockchain networks such as Ethereum, Avalanche, and Polygon, possessing a technical foundation that allows for flexible integration into corporate infrastructure. The 5 billion yen Series B investment completed last May provided the financial backing for JPYC to leap beyond being a mere experimental asset into a practical payment infrastructure. This capital strength and technical flexibility are cited as the primary reasons why AZ-COM Maruwa, which possesses a large-scale logistics network, chose JPYC.

This collaboration suggests that the Japanese stablecoin market is transitioning beyond simple lending experiments or peer-to-peer transactions into corporate payment infrastructure. The direct corporate injection of 1 billion yen promised by AZ-COM Maruwa is a strong signal of corporate trust in digital assets. This payment experiment involving 2,300 partners will serve as a crucial testbed to determine whether stablecoins can replace traditional bank transfers in a real business environment.

Logistics industry experts believe that if this case is successfully established, other large logistics companies, including Amazon Japan, are highly likely to introduce similar payment systems. The characteristic of stablecoins that enables real-time settlement will be a key competitive advantage that can maximize the efficiency of fund management for small-scale subcontractors. Attention will be focused on the market's reaction and whether additional companies will participate when the first actual payment is made in the future.

In conclusion, AZ-COM Maruwa's move is expected to be an important milestone in the history of Japanese fintech. As of July 2026, Japan is building the world's most advanced stablecoin utilization ecosystem, as regulatory refinement and practical corporate adoption align. It remains to be seen whether payment innovation through digital currency can establish itself as a practical tool for solving labor shortages and cost issues in the logistics industry.