AZ-COM Maruwa Bets on Stablecoin Payments to Ease Driver Shortage
Stablecoin payroll rollout to 2,300 partners AZ-COM Maruwa will pay fees and salaries to about 2,300 partner drivers using the yen stablecoin JPYC, starting in Tokyo. Faster, around-the-clock payments could attract scarce drivers and cut the current 20-day payment cycle to about five days, easing a labor shortage that limits growth.
This is the core new operational change that directly addresses the company's driver shortage and could improve partner recruitment and retention.
1 billion yen investment in JPYC AZ-COM Maruwa is investing about 1 billion yen in JPYC Inc. for a 2.9% voting stake, part of JPYC's 6 billion yen Series B round. The alliance locks in a stablecoin partner and signals the company is willing to put real money behind its payment strategy.
The capital commitment shows management conviction and gives AZ-COM Maruwa a strategic stake in the payment infrastructure it plans to use.
New shareholder benefit plan From end-September 2026, shareholders holding 400 shares or more will receive points exchangeable for goods. This rewards loyal investors and, combined with the company's record of raising dividends since 2014, may support demand for the stock.
The benefit plan is a new shareholder-return measure that can broaden the investor base and support the share price.
JPYC adoption and circulation growing JPYC's circulation has grown roughly threefold to about 2.83 billion yen in under two months, and it is being tested at Lawson stores. Wider use of the stablecoin makes AZ-COM Maruwa's payment plan more practical and strengthens the case for its investment.
Growing adoption and circulation of JPYC reduce execution risk for AZ-COM Maruwa's payment rollout and validate the stablecoin's viability.