Japanese payments giant Japan Credit Bureau (JCB) is participating in a central bank digital currency pilot with dentity specialist Idemia and fintech Soft Space

JCB Will Test Plastic Cards for CBDC at Merchant POS Terminals. Source: pexels.com

International payments system JCB announced?the start of its central bank digital currency (CBDC) infrastructure testing. The institution will explore the use of digital yen using its existing credit card infrastructure.?

JCB will collaborate with facial recognition specialist Idemia and fintech Soft Space on the platform’s development.?

The project will test three major segments: touch payment solution, plastic cards supporting CBDC and simulation of the working CBDC environment. In addition, JCB aims to adjust the mobile payment tools and QR codes for CBDC use in the later stages of testing.

According to the preliminary schedule, ??a payment solution should be ready by the end of 2022. Whereas the demonstration experiments at actual stores will begin by the end of March 2023.?

Infrastructure testing will presumably prepare the payments platform for a national CBDC, developed by the Bank of Japan (BoJ). Digital yen is currently preparing for the second phase of the trials, which would test the technical aspects of the issuance. According to the BoJ governor, the Japanese CBDC could launch by 2026, but the decision will depend on market players as well.

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