Circle and Nomura Launch Joint Venture for Instant Global USDC Settlements in Japan

Circle Internet Financial and Nomura Holdings have partnered to launch a corporate digital asset payment settlement service in Japan by 2027. The joint venture, which follows Japan's approval of USDC for corporate use, aims to reduce settlement delays in cross-border transactions.

The service will allow Japanese companies to convert their yen into USDC for various business purposes, including foreign exchange settlements and transfers between overseas affiliates. This is made possible by Circle's Arc blockchain, which features a foreign exchange engine called StableFX that enables atomic payment-versus-payment swaps between pairs of stablecoins.

Nomura will be responsible for client onboarding in Japan, managing regulatory compliance needs, and integrating the settlement platform with existing banking systems. The partnership targets Japan's import, export, and corporate foreign-exchange markets, which recorded an average daily trading volume of approximately $440 billion in 2025.