Bitget Wallet is exploring the integration of self-custodial crypto payments into Japan’s stablecoin payment ecosystem through discussions with . netstarsa payment infrastructure provider. The initiative focuses on how to do this Web3 The ability of wallets to connect to existing merchant networks marks a potential step towards bringing stablecoin payments to one of the world’s most advanced cashless markets.
The discussions are taking place under Netstars’ “StarPay-X” concept, a financial gateway designed to connect Web2 payment infrastructure to Web3 systems, including wallets, stablecoins and blockchains. Through this framework, both parties are evaluating how wallet-based payments can be incorporated into real-world QR payment flows, focusing on enabling practical use cases such as in-store payments and cross-border transactions. Netstars operates a QR payment aggregation network in Japan that connects multiple local and international payment methods between merchants.
The discussions build on Bitget Wallet’s broader effort to make self-custodied cryptocurrencies available for day trading. Last week, the company announced that its QR payment capabilities are being expanded across Asia-Pacific, allowing users to pay with stablecoins such as USDT and USDC by scanning local merchant QR codes. This launch marked one of the first large-scale deployments of crypto QR payments in the region, designed to integrate with existing payment behaviors rather than introducing new payment systems.
Japan represents a key market in this transition, where cashless payments have reached nearly 40% of total transactions and QR-based payments are among the fastest-growing segments. Platforms like PayPay and LINE Pay together serve tens of millions of users and are accepted by millions of merchants nationwide. While the ecosystem remains fragmented across providers, QR aggregation layers like Netstars have enabled standardization at the merchant level by creating a unified interface for multiple payment methods.
“The important thing is not to replace existing systems, but to connect to systems that already work at scale.” in question Alvin BloodCOO of Bitget Wallet. “QR payments are already the dominant interface in many Asian markets. The opportunity here is to make self-storage assets available within this experience without changing the way users or merchants transact. The collaboration aims to bridge the gap between on-chain assets and real-world spending environments by connecting wallet-based payments to established QR infrastructure.”
The initiative is powered by Bitget Wallet’s Onchain Payment Matrix, the underlying payment infrastructure that connects blockchains, wallets and regional payment channels.
The initiative reflects broader payments trends in the Asia-Pacific, where scan-to-pay is already embedded in everyday commerce. Digital wallets will account for 38% of global point-of-sale spend in 2024, representing 59% of transaction value in Asia Pacific, and were the leading online payment method in eight of the 14 markets tracked by Worldpay. The region also accounted for more than 60% of global QR payment activity in 2025, and the total QR payment value is projected to grow from $5.4 trillion in 2025 to over $8 trillion by 2029.
