Circle and Nomura join forces to target a $440 billion daily foreign exchange market in Japan

2 min readMake preferred on ShareShare this articleCopy linkX iconX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmailMake preferred on Nomura Holdings has partnered with Circle to target a massive foreign exchange market with USDC for faster, lower-cost transactions. (Hamihoko/Wikimedia Commons)SummaryShowCircle and Nomura plan to launch a USDC-based digital asset settlement and corporate payment service in Japan as early as 2027, allowing businesses to swap yen for the dollar-pegged stablecoin.The service will target Japan’s sizable import, export and corporate currency markets by using blockchain to cut cross-border and foreign-exchange transfer times from days to minutes.The partnership follows Japan’s updated payment rules that cleared USDC for local corporate use, with Nomura overseeing client onboarding, regulatory compliance and integration with existing banking systems.Boston-based stablecoin issuer Circle Internet Financial announced a partnership on Thursday with Japanese financial conglomerate Nomura Holdings to launch a digital asset settlement business. The firms plan to deploy a corporate payment service in Japan as early as 2027. The agreement will let Japanese businesses exchange yen for USDC, Circle's U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin, according to the announcement first reported by Nikkei. USDC is the world’s second-largest dollar-pegged stablecoin, boasting a market cap of $73.8 billion as of this writing. The Circle stablecoin token can be used for cross-border supplier payments, transfers between overseas affiliates, and foreign exchange settlements. The business aims at Japan's import, export, and corporate currency markets. Bank for International Settlements data shows that Japan's foreign exchange market handled $440 billion in daily transactions as of 2025. Standard bank wires take two to three business days to clear funds between yen and foreign currencies. This blockchain setup can drastically reduce that transfer time. The Circle-Nomura deal follows changes to local laws. Japan’s Financial Services Agency cleared USDC under its updated payment rules, making it the first global dollar stablecoin allowed for local corporate use. Circle operates this network through Circle Japan, its local branch that already handles distribution with SBI Holdings. Nomura will handle client onboarding in Japan, address regulatory requirements and connect the platform to existing banking systems. Over the next year, the partners expect to put the remaining infrastructure in place, strengthen custody arrangements, and complete the banking integrations needed before the planned 2027 rollout. 1Bitcoin derivatives signal panic. A weak core PCE reading could trigger snapback.1 hour ago2CoinEx denies claims it served as $3.84 billion gateway to sanctioned Iranian crypto firms1 hour ago3Crypto relief rally fails to shake persistent bearish derivatives signal1 hour ago4Bitcoin supply in loss reaches record high 10.83 million BTC2 hours ago5Micron delivers blowout earnings, surges 16% and deals crypto bulls a blow2 hours ago6Forget max pain theory. Bitcoin is well below the $72,000 magnet going into $10 billion options expiry5 hours ago7Live markets: Bitcoin holds above $61,000 as U.S. PCE inflation comes in as expected6 hours ago8MemeCore's M token suddenly crashes 80% with no clear trigger7 hours ago9Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin goes live in Japan after regulatory approval7 hours ago10Bitcoin has a new line in the sand. Thursday’s core PCE could stress test it.7 hours agoLatest Research CEX Volumes Drop to Lowest Since September 2024 as RWA Perps Hit Record HighCEX Volumes Drop to Lowest Since September 2024 as RWA Perps Hit Record HighIn May, combined exchange volumes fell 3.45% to $4.41T; the lowest since September 2024. RWA perpetual futures volumes rose 10.4% against the trend, hitting a new all-time high. In May, combined exchange volumes fell 3.45% to $4.41T; the lowest since September 2024. RWA perpetual futures volumes rose 10.4% against the trend, hitting a new all-time high. In May, combined exchange volumes fell 3.45% to $4.41T; the lowest since September 2024. RWA perpetual futures volumes rose 10.4% against the trend, hitting a new all-time high.

Circle and Nomura join forces to target a $440 billion daily foreign exchange market in Japan

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