South Korea\'s fintech sector is expanding payment infrastructure while strengthening security and user protection. The Financial Supervisory Service and the Korea Fintech Industry Association launched a consultative body with major payment gateway firms to curb suspicious transactions. The Bank of Korea raised its policy rate to 2.75 percent, the first hike in 3.5 years, prompting tighter household lending management. Authorities also plan higher deposits and trading units for single-stock leveraged ETFs.

Japanese logistics company AZ-COM Maruwa Holdings is pushing to introduce yen-linked stablecoin JPYC for payments to about 2,300 partner firms, including independent transport operators such as truck drivers. It is considering settling fees and compensation in JPYC to shorten payment cycles and speed transfers, citing the absence of transfer fees. The company is also weighing a partnership with JPYC and discussing an investment of more than 1 billion yen. A JPYC executive said it will keep advancing integration of logistics and commercial payment flows.