Japan’s Top 3 Banks Led By MUFG Unite to Unveil Local Stablecoin

• Japan’s three largest banks are exploring a shared stablecoin pegged to the Yen.
• MFUG, Sumitomo Mitsui, and Mizuho plan to enter the stablecoins market amid regulatory clarity.
• Details on the Yen-pegged stablecoin have not been officially released but it is expected to be interoperable.

Japan’s top three banks have united to launch a Yen-pegged stablecoin. A Friday report from Nikkei revealed that Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, and Mizuho Financial Group are planning to launch a stablecoin pegged to the Japanese Yen to modernize their payment system.

Key Details of the Stablecoin To Be Issued By MUFG

According to the report, the joint venture to launch a Yen-pegged stablecoin is geared towards enhancing value transfer between their corporate clients. The joint venture will also potentially launch a U.S. dollar pegged stablecoin, potentially to streamline its cross-border payments.

The three major banks intend to launch a stablecoin on an infrastructure that enables seamless interoperability between financial institutions. However, the banks have not officially released the details of their Yen-based stablecoin.

As such, it is not clear at press time on which blockchains the Yen-based stablecoin will run on. However, the stablecoin is likely to run on the Progmat platform, which was launched by MUFG Bank in collaboration with other financial institutions in 2023 to digitize real-world assets (RWA).

Why Now?

Crypto Regulatory Clarity in Japan and Other Major Jurisdictions

The three banks united to explore the stablecoin launch largely inspired by clear regulations in Japan. Earlier in 2023, Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) adopted a new regulatory framework for fiat-backed stablecoins to enhance their development and adoption.

Under Japan’s stablecoin regulations, only licensed banks, trust companies, and registered money transfer firms may issue stablecoins. The three banks have existed for decades, and collectively accumulated over $6 trillion in assets under management (AUM).

Related: Japan Reveals 2026 Tax Reform, Including Crypto Measures

Market Demand for Diversified Stablecoins to Modernize Payment Rails

The $300 billion stablecoin market is heavily dominated by the U.S. dollar stablecoins such as Tether USDT, and Circle USDC. However, the growing demand for local stablecoins in different jurisdictions has influenced three banks in Japan.

After operating for decades under traditional banking systems, the three banks are committed to modernizing their operations, with a Yen-pegged stablecoin. Once fully rolled out, the customers for the three Japanese banks will seamlessly make payments around the clock and almost instantaneously. 

Enhancing Japan’s Currency Role and its Global Competitiveness 

The launch of the Yen-pegged stablecoin by the three banks will further enhance the demand for treasuries from the Bank of Japan (BoJ). Moreover, the three banks have a huge customer base globally

Related: Ripple’s Legally-Compliant RLUSD Stablecoin to Begin Distribution in Japan via SBI from 2026

Notably, the stablecoin market is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years, thus the Japanese market will receive a much-needed economic boost. Last week, BlackRock’s CEO Larry Fink stated that the stablecoin market will experience rapid growth in the near term fueled by mainstream adoption from institutional investors.