JPYC said it had explained the competitive environment for yen stablecoin payments to the Japan Fair Trade Commission
BIBIBI
AT A GLANCE
JPYC said it had explained the competitive environment for stablecoin payments and the issue of merchant discounts to the Japan Fair Trade Commission.
Article
JPYC Providing information to the Japan Fair Trade Commission on discounts for yen stablecoin payments
BlockBeats news,October 9, the yen stablecoin issuer JPYC stated today that it had, on September 14 provided information to the Japan Fair Trade Commission, explaining the competitive environment for cashless payments amid the adoption of stablecoin payments.JPYC Since 2025 issuance in October year, it has been used at more than 150 stores. Because value transfers are completed directly through the blockchain, no merchant service fees are charged to stores, making costs significantly lower than those of existing cashless payments.
Some stores hope to return the cost savings to customers using JPYC, by offering discounts, free shipping, and other incentives, but are concerned that this could violate provisions in credit card merchant agreements prohibiting surcharges, cash discounts, and inducements to use other payment methods.JPYC believes that which payment methods to accept and how to set prices are matters for stores to decide in the ordinary course of business, and that returning cost reductions to customers benefits consumers and competition. A 2022 annual report by the Japan Fair Trade Commission also noted that a blanket prohibition on such conduct could, in certain circumstances, raise issues under the Antimonopoly Act; the same view applies to stablecoin discounts.
Original link https://m.theblockbeats.info/flash/370948
Key points
01
BlockBeats reported that JPYC on September 14 provided information to the Japan Fair Trade Commission.
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JPYC It stated that the information concerned the competitive environment for cashless payments amid the adoption of stablecoin payments.
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The original article stated that JPYC since 2025 year October issuance, it has been used at more than 150 stores.
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The original article stated that JPYC value transfers are completed directly through the blockchain, and no merchant service fees are charged to stores.
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Some stores hope to offer discounts, free shipping, and other incentives to customers using JPYC, but are concerned that this could violate credit card merchant agreements.
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JPYC It believes that stores may independently decide which payment methods to accept and how to set prices, and that returning savings to customers benefits consumers and competition.
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The original article stated that the Japan Fair Trade Commission's 2022 annual report noted that a blanket prohibition on related conduct could, in certain circumstances, raise issues under the Antimonopoly Act.
AI-assisted interpretation
The following is analysis, separate from reported facts. Verify important claims independently.
The costs merchants bear may differ depending on the payment method used. The original article stated that JPYC does not charge merchant service fees, so some stores hope to convert the savings into discounts or free shipping. However, credit card-related agreements may restrict cash discounts, surcharges, or inducing customers to switch to other payment methods, leading stores to worry that offering JPYC exclusive discounts could violate the rules.JPYC has provided information to the Japan Fair Trade Commission on this competitive environment.
Why it matters to readers
The dispute concerns whether merchants may offer incentives for lower-cost payment methods, as well as competition between JPYC and existing cashless payment methods.
For beginners, the key point is that stablecoins involve not only whether their value is stable, but also payment costs at real-world stores, discount rules, and competition regulation. The original article does not state that the regulatory authority has reached a conclusion.
Risks and unknowns
The original article does not state whether the Japan Fair Trade Commission responded, conducted a review, or made a decision.
JPYC The claims that no merchant service fees are charged and that costs are significantly lower were not supported by independently verifiable materials in the original article.
150 The specific list of stores, actual payment volumes, and statistical methodology have not been disclosed.
Related Developments
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Whether the relevant credit card merchant rules actually apply to JPYC the discounts, and whether the discounts are unlawful, remains undetermined.
The original text only states October 9 and September 14, without explicitly specifying the years of these dates in the main text.
Related concepts
Stablecoin
An asset that seeks to track a reference value and is subject to risks including depegging, reserves, and redemption.
