JCB + Circle bring USDC to 40 million merchants — what the card networks' stablecoin race means for you
On July 14, 2026 JCB, Japan's largest card network with 40 million merchants, signed an MOU with Circle to explore USDC stablecoin payments — cross-border treasury first, in-store tourist payments later. Even the card giants are now racing to accept stablecoins. Here's what the deal really says, why it's still a multi-year pilot, and how any merchant can accept USDC and USDT today — non-custodially, straight to their own wallet.