Binance Pay introduced a service on September 30 allowing eligible overseas visitors to spend cryptocurrency at PayPay-supported merchants in Japan. The integration runs through HIVEX, a framework connecting international QR payment services with Japan’s merchant network. Customers can pay using more than 100 supported cryptocurrencies, while the stores receive Japanese yen through the existing payment system rather than taking direct ownership of the digital assets.

Tether’s USDT serves as the backend settlement layer for Binance Pay. HIVEX settles with PayPay, and PayPay then settles with merchants in yen. Binance said participating stores do not need a separate opt-in for the service. The arrangement connects a cryptocurrency wallet to a payment method already familiar to Japanese retailers, allowing the digital asset component to sit behind the checkout experience rather than changing the merchant’s normal settlement currency.

For visitors, the appeal is using an existing crypto balance during a trip without requiring every merchant to install a dedicated cryptocurrency terminal. For stores, the operational benefit is continuity: the payment enters a network they already use. Eligibility, supported currencies and the conversion process still determine whether an individual customer can complete a purchase, making the quality of the wallet experience an important part of the rollout.

The launch extends Binance Pay’s distribution through an established national payment network instead of building merchant acceptance location by location. It also gives USDT a role in payment settlement even when the customer spends another supported asset. The integration’s commercial value will depend on transaction activity among overseas users and how smoothly payments pass through Binance Pay, HIVEX and PayPay before reaching the merchant’s yen balance.