Japan Positions Itself as a Leader in Blockchain Finance Through TIS-Ava Labs Multi-Token Platform

Japan’s leading payment infrastructure provider, TIS Co. Ltd., has joined forces with blockchain company Ava Labs to introduce a multi-token platform that streamlines on-chain asset transfers for financial institutions. This move represents a notable advancement in Japan’s digital payments sector. Developed using AvaCloud—a collection of enterprise blockchain solutions from the

ecosystem—the platform will enable the issuance, settlement, and oversight of stablecoins, all while adhering to Japan’s Payment Services Act, as reported by . TIS, which handles 50% of Japan’s credit card transactions via its PAYCIERGE platform, intends to harness its $2 trillion in annual transactions to promote programmable financial infrastructure, according to ChainCatcher.

This project reflects the rising interest among institutions in tokenized assets throughout Asia. Japan’s recent introduction of the JPYC yen stablecoin—fully collateralized by local savings and government bonds—demonstrates the country’s commitment to merging blockchain with conventional finance. Approved by the Financial Services Agency, JPYC operates on a no-fee platform and is aimed at institutional clients, potentially boosting liquidity in the region, according to a

. At the same time, international firms such as and IBM are making similar strides. Circle’s Arc public testnet, which allows stablecoin gas fees and cross-chain compatibility, has drawn users from Australia, Brazil, and South Korea, as noted by , while IBM’s Digital Asset Haven platform is designed to simplify crypto custody and DeFi earnings for American institutions, according to a .

The partnership between TIS and Ava Labs is positioning Japan as a center for blockchain-driven financial innovation. By providing banks, corporations, and government entities with the ability to tokenize assets, the platform could help Japan shift from a cash-heavy society to a more digital economy. Digital payment usage in Japan has climbed from 13.2% in 2010 to 42.8% in 2024, with stablecoins serving as a crucial link between established and decentralized financial systems, according to Coinotag.

With institutional appetite for tokenized real-world assets on the rise, solutions like TIS’s multi-token platform and JPYC’s yen stablecoin are set to influence the future of cross-border payments. As IBM and Circle continue to build infrastructure for institutional crypto integration, the merging of blockchain technology with traditional finance is becoming increasingly certain—especially in regions where regulations are starting to align with technological progress.