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Binance Pay has launched in Japan, letting eligible international visitors, but not Japanese residents, pay at millions of PayPay-supported merchant locations using cryptocurrency, while the merchants themselves continue receiving payment in yen. The September 30 launch runs through the HIVEX network, which links overseas payment apps to PayPay’s existing infrastructure.
The arrangement also simplifies the checkout process for participating businesses. Instead of receiving cryptocurrency, merchants continue collecting payments in Japanese yen through their existing PayPay infrastructure.
However, the service is not available to Japanese residents. Only eligible international visitors who have completed Binance’s identity verification requirements and reside in supported jurisdictions can use the new payment feature Binance Pay.
The integration allows eligible international visitors to use their Binance accounts to pay at participating PayPay merchants across Japan. Customers can scan a merchant’s QR code directly through the Binance app or, where supported, display a payment code for the merchant to scan.
The service operates through HIVEX, a payment network that connects international payment applications with PayPay’s existing merchant infrastructure. This arrangement allows participating businesses to accept payments from overseas digital wallets without establishing separate integrations with each provider.
PayPay had already connected several international payment services through HIVEX before introducing the Binance integration. Earlier in September, the Japanese payment company expanded its network to include UnionPay QR payments.
Following that addition, PayPay reported that its merchant network supported 36 overseas cashless payment services spanning 17 countries and regions. Those markets collectively represented approximately 80% of international visitors to Japan, according to the company.
The addition of Binance Pay extends this infrastructure to cryptocurrency-funded transactions, potentially giving international visitors another alternative to cash and conventional payment cards.
Thomas Gregory, Binance’s vice president of payments and fiat, said the partnership reflects a shared objective of improving payment accessibility for international travelers.
“Our integration with PayPay reflects a shared vision of making payments more seamless, borderless, and accessible for travelers visiting the country,” Gregory said.
He added that the integration would expand payment options for visitors while allowing participating merchants to serve international customers through their existing payment systems Binance Pay.
A central feature of the integration is its separation of cryptocurrency payments from merchant settlement.
Although customers fund purchases using supported digital assets through Binance Pay, participating businesses receive Japanese yen. This eliminates the need for merchants to maintain cryptocurrency wallets, manage digital assets or handle the complexities of converting crypto into local currency themselves.
The payment process also follows familiar procedures for businesses already using PayPay.
Customers can scan a merchant’s QR code or present a payment code for staff to scan. Merchants can then verify completed transactions through PayPay for Business.
According to PayPay’s merchant guidance, eligible businesses do not need to submit a separate application to receive HIVEX payments. Merchants can also disable the service through their existing business settings.
This approach allows Binance to reach a large network of Japanese businesses without negotiating individual payment integrations with restaurants, hotels and retailers.
The launch also builds on Binance’s broader strategy of connecting cryptocurrency payments with established financial infrastructure. Binance Research reported in April that its payment service had surpassed 21 million merchants globally, with integrations involving domestic payment networks such as Brazil’s Pix.
The latest integration builds on an established commercial relationship between PayPay and Binance Japan.
In October 2025, PayPay, part of the SoftBank Group, acquired a 40% stake in Binance Japan through a capital and business alliance. The partnership sought to combine PayPay’s domestic payment infrastructure with Binance’s cryptocurrency services.
Their initial collaboration focused on transferring money between the two platforms rather than spending cryptocurrency at retail locations.
Binance Japan customers gained the ability to purchase digital assets using PayPay Money and PayPay Points. They could also transfer proceeds from cryptocurrency sales back into their PayPay accounts.
The companies subsequently expanded their cooperation in April 2026, introducing Japanese yen deposits into Binance Japan through PayPay Money. Customers could use the deposited funds for cryptocurrency purchases, limit orders and exchange trading.
In August, Binance Japan increased its PayPay Money deposit limits. The maximum daily deposit rose from ¥300,000 to ¥1 million, while the monthly limit increased from ¥1 million to ¥2 million.
The September 30 rollout introduces a separate payment service specifically for eligible international visitors. Unlike the earlier integrations, which primarily served Binance Japan customers, the new feature enables overseas users to spend cryptocurrency at participating Japanese merchants.
The launch comes as Japanese businesses explore ways to incorporate digital assets into conventional retail payments.
In August, convenience store operator Lawson began testing stablecoin payments at two locations in Tokyo. The pilot included JPYC, USDC and USDT, allowing customers to make purchases using digital wallets connected to existing checkout registers.
The trial aims to evaluate transaction speed, system stability and operational requirements before Lawson considers expanding the service.
Elsewhere, JCB partnered with Circle in July to explore USDC-based payments and treasury transfers. The initial phase focused on internal cross-border transfers, with potential merchant payment applications forming part of the broader initiative.
Unlike these stablecoin experiments, Binance Pay’s new service relies on an existing QR payment network to connect international cryptocurrency users with Japanese retailers.
The integration illustrates another approach to bringing digital assets into everyday commerce: connecting cryptocurrency wallets to payment systems that businesses already use.
For international travelers, the service provides an additional way to pay without first converting their digital assets into cash. For merchants, the yen settlement arrangement preserves their existing payment procedures.
Binance confirmed that the HIVEX integration became available on September 30, subject to eligibility requirements. Its initial rollout excludes Japanese residents, keeping the service focused on international visitors.
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