Lawson advances to second stablecoin payment trial on Polygon
DeFi & Yields ·
The Japanese convenience store chain has run a second point-of-sale test settling payments in stablecoins on the Polygon network, extending an earlier pilot into a new trial phase.
Lawson, described as a major Japanese convenience store chain, completed the test at a POS register using Polygon as the settlement layer, according to neweconomy.jp. The trial marks the retailer's entry into what is characterized as a second phase of its stablecoin payment experiments, following an initial round of testing.
The mechanics of the setup point to stablecoins moving through Polygon's infrastructure while a shopper checks out at a physical register, a use case that sits squarely within the network's stated push into onchain payments. Polygon's own ecosystem material frames stablecoin settlement, including transfers of assets like USDC, as a core function of its Layer 2 design, with the POL token serving as the gas and staking asset that underpins transactions across the network.
The Lawson test does not stand alone within Japan's stablecoin landscape. Separately, Kansai Electric's MOACT service allows users to swap NORM Points on a 1:1 basis for yen-backed JPYC on Polygon, another example of a domestic Japanese entity routing consumer-facing stablecoin activity through the same network. Polygon Labs has also been reported to be in early talks to raise $100 million specifically to expand stablecoin payments infrastructure, suggesting retail pilots like Lawson's could be feeding into a broader buildout rather than standing as an isolated corporate experiment.
Two distinct sources are tracking coverage of the Lawson trial, indicating the test has drawn attention beyond a single outlet. What remains unclear is the scale of the second-phase test, including how many stores or transactions were involved, which stablecoin was used at the register, and whether Lawson has set a timeline for wider rollout beyond the pilot stage. Also unresolved is whether the $100 million fundraising effort tied to Polygon's stablecoin payments push has any direct connection to the Lawson trials or to other Japanese pilots such as the Kansai Electric program. Further disclosures from Lawson or Polygon on transaction volumes and next steps would clarify whether this test moves toward commercial deployment.