Sony Bank said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with stablecoin issuer JPYC Inc. to study whether the Japanese yen-pegged stablecoin JPYC can be connected more directly to the bank’s deposit rails.
In a statement on Monday, the companies said they will study real-time account transfers that would allow users to purchase JPYC instantly from their Sony Bank accounts through the JPYC EX platform, eliminating the need for manual bank transfers.
Sony Bank said its Web3-focused subsidiary, BlockBloom, will play a central role in designing how the bank link, stablecoin rails and potential consumer services would work in practice.
The agreement comes as Japan formalizes stablecoin issuance under its revised Payment Services Act, with regulated financial institutions beginning to test integration at the deposit layer rather than limiting access to crypto exchanges.
Real-time conversion under Japan’s stablecoin rules
JPYC began issuing its yen-backed stablecoin on Oct. 27, 2025, under Japan’s revised Payment Services Act, which recognizes stablecoins as electronic payment instruments.
According to the company, the token is backed 1:1 by bank deposits and Japanese government bonds and is issued and redeemed through the JPYC EX platform, which requires identity verification.
The companies said the agreement is exploratory and does not introduce a new stablecoin. They did not give a timetable for when any real-time transfer feature might be launched.
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The companies said the feature would be designed under a neutral framework, not limited to a single financial institution, to preserve the scalability of JPYC EX.
Last week, JPYC announced plans to raise 1.78 billion yen (about $12 million) in the first close of its Series B round, led by Asteria Corporation, to expand system development and ecosystem partnerships.
Exploring links to entertainment
Beyond payments, Sony Bank and JPYC said they will explore linking the stablecoin to entertainment intellectual property, including music and gaming services. Potential use cases include digital content purchases and the distribution of rewards.
The companies said future efforts will also examine streamlining the issuance and redemption of JPYC using Sony Bank services to reduce user steps.
The announcement stated all initiatives will be developed in compliance with applicable laws and regulatory guidelines.
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