LINE's "Unifi" Officially Supports JPYC — Daily Stablecoin Payments Launch on a User Base of Over 100 Million

Overview of the Unifi × JPYC Integration

On May 22, 2026, JPYC Inc. announced that its yen-pegged stablecoin JPYC is now officially usable on Unifi, a non-custodial Web3 wallet provided by LINE NEXT. The two companies signed an MOU in January 2026 and announced JPYC's official adoption in Unifi on February 27, achieving implementation in roughly three months. Unifi itself was officially launched on May 9, 2026, with initial USDT support; today's JPYC integration represents its expansion. Deposits earn a base annual yield of 4–5%, and an "Early Bird" campaign distributing a total of 80,000 JPYC was launched to mark the launch.

Technical Foundation Centered on the Kaia Chain

The JPYC supported on Unifi is issued on the Layer 1 blockchain "Kaia." Kaia is a public blockchain launched in August 2024, formed by the merger of Finschia — the rebranded "LINE Blockchain" originally developed in-house by LINE — and Klaytn, developed by Ground X, a subsidiary of South Korea's Kakao. The network supports up to 4,000 transactions per second. JPYC Inc. enabled Kaia support on its JPYC EX platform on May 15, 2026, positioning Kaia as its fourth issuance network alongside Ethereum, Avalanche, and Polygon. Legally, JPYC is classified as an "electronic payment instrument" in Japan, backed by Japanese yen deposits and government bonds with reserves maintained at over 100% of issued supply.

The Significance of Connecting to a Base of Over 100 Million Users

The core significance of this integration lies in the launch of a stablecoin economic zone on top of LINE's user base of over 100 million in Japan — without requiring any new app installation. Users can access Unifi as a LINE Mini App, completing custody, transfer, payment, and reward functions entirely within LINE. JPYC Inc. has raised approximately JPY 5 billion cumulatively in its Series B round. While HashPort Wallet had previously been the primary retail use case for JPYC, the LINE integration represents a qualitative shift in the adoption curve. Kaia itself aims to become Asia's largest Web3 ecosystem, and parallel developments — including South Korean regional bank iM Bank completing a PoC for a won-pegged stablecoin on Kaia (announced May 20) — point to the emergence of a cross-border Japan-Korea digital currency zone.

[Business Development Insights]

1. "App-Free Stablecoin Experience" Becomes the Key to Retail Adoption: Until now, stablecoin usage required downloading dedicated wallet apps, managing private keys, and understanding gas fees — significant entry barriers. The LINE-native Unifi × JPYC experience effectively renders these invisible, enabling a UX where users can "use crypto without thinking about crypto." Going forward, embedding stablecoins into merchant payments, payroll, and remittance services is set to accelerate.
2. "4–5% Annual Yield" Creates a Competitive Dynamic Against Megabank Deposits: Unifi's base annual yield of 4–5% significantly exceeds the savings rates offered by Japan's megabanks. A yen-pegged stablecoin yield service running natively within the LINE interface has the potential to trigger deposit migration, particularly among younger and tech-savvy demographics. Financial institutions are facing a moment when retail strategies require fundamental reconsideration.
3. Kaia, the Japan-Korea Integrated Blockchain, Emerges as a Contender for "Asia Payment Infrastructure": Backed by the LINE and Kakao messenger platforms — among the largest in Japan and Korea — Kaia is rapidly building presence as an issuance platform for multiple fiat-pegged stablecoins, including JPYC (yen) and iM Bank's won-pegged stablecoin. For Japanese corporates expanding across Asia, integrating Kaia as a payment layer is becoming a realistic strategic option, making the identification of partnership and integration opportunities increasingly urgent.

[Sources]

• NewEconomy, "LINE NEXT's Web3 Wallet 'Unifi' Now Supports Japanese Yen Stablecoin 'JPYC'" (May 22, 2026) https://www.neweconomy.jp/posts/575677
• NewEconomy, "JPYC Begins Considering Issuance on Kaia Following Adoption Decision by LINE NEXT's 'Unifi'" (February 27, 2026) https://www.neweconomy.jp/posts/551402
• CoinPost, "LINE NEXT Wallet 'Unifi' Officially Supports JPYC from May 22" https://finance.yahoo.co.jp/news/detail/81deb9df34f6b137b8f5dcddcfdda5e171f6d6f9
• CoinPost, "LINE Wallet 'Unifi' Supports JPYC, No New App Required for Stablecoin Payments" https://finance.yahoo.co.jp/news/detail/de8615c4b93f60354357f4633403607c74a030ca
• NADA NEWS, "JPYC to Be Available on Stablecoin Wallet 'Unifi' on LINE from May 22" https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/a6d1875888ed3a7dfd779484dbe409df7e4bc86c
• CryptoNews, "LINE's Unifi to Support Japanese Yen Stablecoin JPYC from May 22" https://cryptonews.com/jp/news/line-next-unifi-wallet-jpyc-support/
• 99Bitcoins, "LINE-Affiliated Wallet 'Unifi' Now Supports Yen Stablecoin JPYC" https://99bitcoins.com/jp/news/altcoins/jpyc-unifi-line-stablecoin-integration/