JPYC

JPYC inc. is a Japanese Web3 startup headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, best known for issuing the yen-pegged stablecoin JPYC. The company was founded on November 20, 2019, and began selling its first product, the business-use self-issued prepaid ERC-20 token "ICHIBA (ICB)," in August 2020. In January 2021 it released the Japanese yen stablecoin "JPYC (JPYCoin)," which was structured as a self-issued prepaid payment instrument under the Payment Services Act. The token was designed to maintain a 1 JPYC = 1 yen peg and was issued on public blockchains including Ethereum, Polygon, Gnosis Chain, Shiden Network, Avalanche, and Astar. JPYC has attracted investment from notable backers, including Circle Ventures, the venture capital arm of USDC issuer Circle, and Headline Asia. In November 2021 the company announced a Series A round totaling 500 million yen. It has also obtained a Second-Class Money Transfer Business license (registration number: Kanto Local Finance Bureau No. 00099) and is a member of several industry associations, including the Japan Payment Service Association, the Blockchain Collaborative Consortium (BCCC), the DeFi Association, and the Fintech Association of Japan. In November 2024, the company renamed its prepaid stablecoin "JPYC" to "JPYC Prepaid" to distinguish it from the new electronic payment instrument stablecoin. New issuance of JPYC Prepaid ended on June 1, 2025, ahead of the revised Payment Services Act that took effect on that date. JPYC inc. obtained its money transfer business registration on August 18, 2025, and began issuing the new "JPYC" stablecoin as an electronic payment instrument on October 27, 2025. As of April 2026, cumulative issuance of the new JPYC exceeded approximately 2.1 billion yen, with about 500 million JPYC in circulation and roughly 60,000 on-chain holders. The token is supported on Ethereum, Polygon, Avalanche, and Kaia networks, and is used for credit card repayments via the Nudge card, gas-free wallet payments through HashPort Wallet for Biz, and payments at over 30 physical and online merchants across Japan.

JPYC inc. was established on November 20, 2019, as a Japanese Web3 startup. Its first product, the business-use self-issued prepaid ERC-20 token "ICHIBA (ICB)," went on sale on August 11, 2020. On January 27, 2021, the company released and began selling the Japanese yen stablecoin "JPYC (JPYCoin)," which was structured as a self-issued prepaid payment instrument under the Payment Services Act. The token was initially issued on Ethereum and later expanded to multiple public blockchains, including xDAI (now Gnosis Chain) and Polygon in March 2021, Shiden Network in November 2021, Avalanche in March 2022, and Astar Network in April 2022. Throughout 2021, JPYC formed numerous partnerships and achieved several regulatory milestones. It filed a notification as a self-issued prepaid payment instrument issuer with the Kanto Local Finance Bureau on May 21, 2021, and joined the Japan Payment Service Association on June 23, 2021. The company also entered business alliances with SBINFT (then Smart App), Asteria Corporation, KAWANE Holdings, and Stake Technologies. In November 2021, JPYC announced a Series A funding round of 500 million yen from investors including Headline Asia and Circle Ventures. By January 2022, cumulative issuance of JPYC had surpassed 500 million yen, and by March 2022 it exceeded 800 million yen. In November 2024, the company renamed its prepaid stablecoin "JPYC" to "JPYC Prepaid" to distinguish it from the new electronic payment instrument stablecoin that would be issued under the revised Payment Services Act. New issuance of JPYC Prepaid ended on June 1, 2025, the same day the revised Payment Services Act took effect. JPYC inc. obtained its money transfer business registration on August 18, 2025, and began issuing the new "JPYC" stablecoin as an electronic payment instrument on October 27, 2025. As of April 2026, cumulative issuance of the new JPYC exceeded approximately 2.1 billion yen, with about 500 million JPYC in circulation and roughly 60,000 on-chain holders. The token is supported on Ethereum, Polygon, Avalanche, and Kaia networks, and is used for credit card repayments via the Nudge card, gas-free wallet payments through HashPort Wallet for Biz, and payments at over 30 physical and online merchants across Japan.

• JPYC inc. founded

• Business-use prepaid ERC-20 token "ICHIBA (ICB)" goes on sale

• Japanese yen stablecoin "JPYC (JPYCoin)" released and sales begin

• JPYC supports xDAI (now Gnosis Chain) and Polygon (matic)

• Filed notification as self-issued prepaid payment instrument issuer with Kanto Local Finance Bureau

• Joined Japan Payment Service Association

• JPYC sales exceed 100 million yen in seven months since issuance

• JPYC sales exceed 200 million yen and V Preca Gift exchange cumulative amount exceeds 100 million yen

• Headquarters relocated to Chiyoda, Tokyo

• JPYC supports Shiden Network

• Announced Series A funding of 500 million yen from Headline Asia, Circle Ventures, and other investors

• JPYC accepted for purchases at Matsuya Ginza

• Cumulative issuance exceeds 500 million yen one year after JPYC launch

• JPYC supports Avalanche Network

• JPYC supports Astar Network

• Japanese yen stablecoin "JPYC" renamed to "JPYC Prepaid"

• New issuance of JPYC Prepaid ends

• Obtained money transfer business registration

• Began issuing stablecoin as electronic payment instrument

Regulated yen-pegged stablecoin for real-world payments and Web3 finance in Japan.

• JPYC

  Yen-pegged stablecoin issued as an electronic payment instrument, launched October 27, 2025. Maintains 1 JPYC = 1 yen. Supported on Ethereum, Polygon, Avalanche, and Kaia networks.

• JPYC Prepaid

  Self-issued prepaid payment instrument (yen stablecoin) on Ethereum ERC-20, formerly named JPYC. New issuance ended June 1, 2025. Supported on Ethereum, Polygon, Gnosis Chain, Shiden Network, Avalanche, and Astar.

• ICHIBA (ICB)

  Business-use self-issued prepaid ERC-20 token, sold from August 11, 2020.

• JPYC Apps

  Official service for purchasing and using JPYC Prepaid via bank transfer, and exchanging for V Preca Gift, giftee Box, etc.

• JPYC Bot

  Official bot for purchasing JPYC Prepaid on Ethereum via bank transfer or Bitcoin, and exchanging for V Preca Gift.

• AVAX token distribution campaign
• ASTR token distribution campaign

1. 1JPYC株式会社 | 社会のジレンマを突破するcorporate.jpyc.co.jp
2. 2JPYC - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
3. 3JPYC - Wikidatawikidata.org