NETSTARS Co.,Ltd.

NetStars, which operates a QR code payment gateway, announced on September 11 that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Kaia DLT Foundation, which operates the Asia-based layer-1 blockchain Kaia, to work toward the practical adoption of stablecoin payments. The collaboration is part of NetStars' payment infrastructure initiative StarPay-X. In April, the company outlined a plan to connect multiple stablecoins and blockchains to its existing QR code payment service StarPay, and has since signed memorandums of understanding with Aptos and Canton as well. In July, it began offering Stablecoin Pay, which lets merchants introduce and operate multiple stablecoin payment options through a single application. The payment fee is 0.98%, and the supported stablecoins are three types: the yen-denominated JPYC and the US dollar-denominated USDC and USDT. In August, it also conducted a demonstration linking Stablecoin Pay with existing POS registers at Lawson stores in Tokyo. Under the collaboration with Kaia, the company is also considering expanding payment methods to stablecoins pegged to the South Korean won, the Hong Kong dollar, the Taiwan dollar and others, and plans to jointly study mechanisms for exchanging and settling between multiple currencies using Kaia's on-chain foreign exchange system Ratio. NetStars develops its business around StarPay, with roughly 700,000 merchant locations and annual payment transaction volume exceeding 2 trillion yen.

Lawson and Netstars conducted a pilot test on August 17 at the Lawson Gate City Osaki Atrium store in Osaki, Tokyo, linking Netstars' store-facing stablecoin payment service, Stablecoin Pay, with existing POS registers. Using USDC, USDT, and JPYC held in MetaMask, they verified payment speed, store operations, and user operability. NADA NEWS confirmed the payment flow on-site and asked both companies about challenges toward practical implementation.

Netstars has announced it will support a stablecoin payment trial that Lawson will conduct on August 17. The in-store payment service Stablecoin Pay will be linked with Lawson's existing POS registers to evaluate transaction speed and operational aspects at the counter. The trial will use US dollar-denominated stablecoins USDC and USDT, as well as the yen-denominated stablecoin JPYC, with MetaMask serving as the wallet. Participation is limited to relevant parties and not open to the general public. Netstars aims to confirm whether the system can be used without disrupting convenience store operations and will apply the insights gained to future implementation support.

Netstars announced on July 13 the launch of Stablecoin Pay, a service that allows merchants to adopt multiple stablecoin payment options in a single package. It is the first service in Japan to enable the introduction and operation of multiple stablecoin payments through a single application, with a processing fee of 0.98 percent. The supported stablecoins are the yen-denominated JPYC and the US dollar-denominated USDC and USDT. The compatible blockchains are Solana and Polygon, and the MetaMask wallet can be used. Support for Aptos, Bitget Wallet, and imToken is planned for summer 2026 and beyond. Existing StarPay merchants at approximately 700,000 locations can continue using their current payment terminals, and sales and settlements can be managed in Japanese yen, eliminating the need to worry about exchange rate fluctuations or custody methods.

Netstars announced on July 7 that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Canton Foundation to promote the adoption of Web3 payments, including stablecoins. This collaboration is part of Netstars' StarPay-X Web3 payment infrastructure initiative, with the Canton Foundation participating as a technical evaluation partner. The Canton Foundation is a non-profit organization that operates the Canton Network, a blockchain platform designed for financial institutions with a focus on privacy and compliance. Through StarPay-X, Netstars aims to build an environment for Web3 payments as an extension of existing cashless payment systems. Netstars has previously conducted USDC pilot tests at Haneda Airport and in Himeji City, and signed MOUs with Aptos in May, as well as with Bitget Wallet and Startale in June. This partnership with the Canton Foundation is one of a series of collaborations under the StarPay-X initiative, which is advancing multi-chain and multi-wallet capabilities.