Launch of J–Coin Pay, smartphone payment service using QR codes

60 financial institutions to create a bank digital currency platform

Mizuho Bank, Ltd. (President & CEO: Koji Fujiwara), a core subsidiary of Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. (President & CEO: Tatsufumi Sakai), will launch a new bank digital currency platform J–Coin Pay in March 2019, in cooperation with approximately 60 other financial institutions.

J–Coin Pay employs QR codes¹ to provide smartphone–based payment services. It will allow customers to make payments, send and receive transfers, and perform other financial transactions all on their smartphones. Customers will also be able to use the smartphone app to move funds between their J–Coin Pay accounts and their deposit accounts at their financial institutions for free, anytime and anywhere.

The J–Coin Pay app

• 1"QR code" is a registered trademark of Denso Wave Incorporated.

1. J–Coin Pay's role in society's future

With the new bank digital currency platform J–Coin Pay, Mizuho Bank and other participating financial institutions will work together towards the Japanese government's goal of achieving a cashless society.² Some of the J–Coin Pay features that will contribute to realizing this society are as below.

• Anytime, anywhere
  • –Available in both urban and rural areas
  • –Available at both large retail chains and small– and medium–sized shops
• Anyone
  • –Available to anyone with a deposit account, including seniors and residents of rural areas
  • –Available to non–Japanese customers visiting Japan, through partnerships with QR code operators outside Japan
• With anyone
  • –Allows for transferring funds to other individuals as well as paying at stores
  • –Allows for transferring funds not only with Mizuho Bank accounts but also with accounts at any of the participating financial institutions

• 2The Japanese government is aiming to double the ratio of consumers using cashless payments to 40% by 2025 (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, "Cashless Vision," April 2018).

2. J–Coin Pay rollout

The J–Coin Pay app will launch on iOS and Android on March 1. Customers will be able to register their Mizuho Bank deposit accounts the same day and their deposit accounts at certain participating financial institutions from March 25. Other participating financial institutions will be added gradually thereafter. Further details will be announced separately.

3. Participating financial institutions

Approximately 60 financial institutions³ plan to participate (as of February 20).

4. Expansion of services

We are planning to expand services as below in order to have J–Coin Pay make further positive contributions to society.

• Expand the J–Coin Pay affiliated store network and strengthen partnerships⁴
  The following page lists the companies currently looking into using or partnering with J–Coin Pay.
• Enhance payment services for non–Japanese customers visiting Japan through partnerships with QR code operators outside Japan
  Our partnerships with UnionPay and Alipay will be our starting point for expanding our network of global partners, with a focus on Asia.
• Provide J–Coin Pay for transfers between corporate clients and individual customers, such as expense accounting and salary payment.
  We will expand our bank digital currency platform to provide a wide range of financial services.

• 3Participating financial institutions (as of February 20, listed by region and banking code)

4Companies looking into using or partnering with J–Coin Pay (as of February 20, listed alphabetically by type)

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