Nomura Holdings and Circle Internet Financial announced a partnership to launch a USDC-based digital asset settlement and corporate payment service in Japan as early as 2027. The service will allow Japanese businesses to exchange yen for USDC, Circle's dollar-pegged stablecoin, for cross-border supplier payments, transfers between overseas affiliates, and foreign exchange settlements. Target markets include Japan's import, export, and corporate currency sectors, where daily forex transactions reached $440 billion as of 2025. Traditional bank wires take 2-3 days, but blockchain can reduce transfer times to minutes. The partnership follows Japan's updated payment rules that cleared USDC for local corporate use, making it the first global dollar stablecoin approved for such purposes. Nomura will handle client onboarding, regulatory compliance, and banking integration, while Circle operates through its local branch, Circle Japan, which already distributes with SBI Holdings. Infrastructure, custody, and banking integrations are expected to be completed before the 2027 rollout.

Key facts

• Nomura and Circle plan USDC-based settlement service in Japan by 2027.
• Service targets Japan's $440 billion daily forex market, cutting transfer days to minutes.
• USDC is the first global dollar stablecoin cleared for corporate use in Japan.
• Nomura handles client onboarding, compliance, and banking integration.
• Circle Japan already distributes USDC with SBI Holdings.

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