Japan’s First Web3 USDC Stablecoin In-Store Payment Pilot Launches at Tokyo Haneda Airport

On January 26, Japan Airport Terminal Co., Ltd. (Haneda Airport) and Netstars announced the launch of a pilot program enabling in-store payments using the U.S. dollar–denominated stablecoin USDC at two retail locations in Terminal 3 of Tokyo Haneda Airport. The pilot aims to enhance payment convenience for inbound international travelers and will run through February 28.

The participating stores are Edo Food Hall (Jidai-kan) and Edo Event Hall. To make a purchase, customers present a payment QR code developed by WEA JAPAN and complete the transaction using USDC from their digital wallets.

The use of stablecoins has been steadily progressing globally, with their application as a new payment method expanding into physical retail stores. This pilot program aims to verify the effectiveness of these payments at Haneda Airport, which serves as Japan’s primary international gateway.

For more information on USDC payments, please refer to the official announcements: Netstars: https://www.netstars.co.jp/news/8957/ Haneda Airport: https://www.tokyo-airport-bldg.co.jp/files/news_release/000016831.pdf

Bridging Stablecoin and Fiat Settlement via an Established Payment Network

In this pilot program, Netstars manages merchant acquisition and overall operations, while WEA provides a USDC-based QR code payment solution integrated into existing payment systems. Consumers can complete payments by presenting a WEA-generated QR code via their digital wallets. Merchants receive transaction information through Netstars’ StarPay payment gateway and settle in Japanese yen (JPY), without the need to handle digital asset conversion or complex Web3 operational processes. The underlying technology is powered by NetX.

This model effectively addresses common challenges in the physical commercial adoption of stablecoin payments, such as complex merchant onboarding and fragmented settlement systems. By doing so, it allows stablecoin payments to integrate into physical consumption scenarios in a manner that aligns more closely with real-world business logic.

For more background and details regarding this stablecoin payment pilot project at Haneda Airport, please refer to the official Netstars announcement: https://www.netstars.co.jp/news/8914/

Validating the Real-World Feasibility of Stablecoin Payments Within a Compliant Framework

The Haneda Airport pilot represents the first systematic validation of stablecoin payments in a high-traffic, highly regulated commercial environment in Japan. Leveraging the airport’s role as a representative cross-border consumption hub, the project will evaluate stablecoin performance across key dimensions, including cross-border payment efficiency, settlement stability, and overall user experience.

Japan possesses a relatively clear and sophisticated regulatory framework for payments and digital assets, providing a solid foundation for the compliant exploration of stablecoin applications. By conducting pilot operations within existing regulatory and payment frameworks, this pilot program aims to accumulate practical experience that can serve as a reference for broader implementation in the future.

Selecting Solana as Japan’s First Stablecoin Payment Network

The pilot utilizes USDC issued on the Solana blockchain as the stablecoin payment asset, reflecting Solana’s technical suitability for high-frequency, low-latency payment scenarios. The Solana ecosystem has expressed strong support for the project and views Japan as an important market for real-world stablecoin payment applications, continuing to monitor and support related developments.

At the same time, WEA has established the capability to deploy stablecoin payment solutions across multiple blockchain networks, including BNB Chain and NetX, providing greater flexibility and long-term sustainability for expansion across different markets and use cases.

Exploring Scalable Paths for Stablecoin Payments Starting from the Airport Demonstration

As one of Japan’s most important international aviation hubs, Haneda Airport provides an ideal environment to test the viability of new payment methods in high-traffic, high-standard scenarios. Through this demonstration, participating stakeholders will systematically assess stablecoin payment performance in live commercial operations and explore opportunities to expand to additional airports and commercial facilities in the future.

Future Outlook

With the official launch of the Haneda Airport stablecoin payment pilot, WEA will continue working closely with Netstars, NetX, and Solana-related ecosystem partners to advance real-world stablecoin payment adoption within a compliant framework. Building on this pilot, stakeholders will continue expanding application scenarios, strengthening payment infrastructure, and fostering a more durable and long-term connection between Web3 technologies and the real economy.

During the pilot period, travelers are encouraged to visit participating stores in Terminal 3 at Haneda Airport to experience firsthand how stablecoins can be used in real-world retail payments. Project partners will continue to monitor pilot operations and share further insights and outcomes with the industry and the public.

About WEA

WEA is a next-generation Web3 payment infrastructure that seamlessly connects global consumers, merchants, and developers with both fiat and crypto economies. By bridging traditional finance and the crypto ecosystem, WEA enables more people to access fair and inclusive financial services through digital assets.

WEA Website：https://www.weajapan.co.jp/

WEA X：https://x.com/WEAJapan