Shiba Inu (SHIB) could see its payment push gain momentum in Japan after Binance Pay started connecting crypto users with PayPay merchants across the country.
According to a September 30 announcement by PayPay, one of Japan’s major mobile payment services, beginning September 30, overseas Binance Pay users can use the service at PayPay-affiliated stores through HIVEX, a payment interoperability framework. The rollout covers everyday purchases including food, accommodation, and souvenirs.
However, the current integration does not add SHIB as a supported payment asset. Binance Pay initially enables payments using Tether’s USDT, while participating merchants continue to receive settlement in Japanese yen.
The development nevertheless creates a potential pathway for other cryptocurrencies supported by Binance Pay if the payment network adds more assets.
Notably, the Japan rollout has already prompted speculation within the Shiba Inu community about whether SHIB could eventually become usable through a similar payment arrangement.
 
In a tweet on Wednesday, SHIB community member “Kimi_to_Mickey” asked whether cryptocurrency payments could become possible in Japan and specifically highlighted the prospect of using SHIB at everyday businesses.
“If SHIB payments could be made at the neighborhood drugstore, that’d be insanely hot,” he wrote.
The size of Binance Pay’s existing network gives the development significance for cryptocurrencies seeking greater payment utility.
PayPay said the partnership connects its merchant network with approximately 48 million Binance Pay users across more than 100 countries and regions. PayPay is already used across Japan at retail stores, restaurants, vending machines, taxis, and other services.
HIVEX also supports several overseas payment services, particularly across Asian markets, allowing PayPay to expand its reach among international visitors without requiring merchants to overhaul their existing payment systems.
Moreover, Japan’s large tourism market adds another potential use case. The country recorded 3.1 million foreign visitors in August 2026, according to the figures supplied by PayPay.
Notably, SHIB is not starting from zero when it comes to cryptocurrency payments. Payment-tracking platform Cryptwerk lists more than 2,200 online and physical retailers associated with SHIB payments, including businesses such as Newegg, eGifter and Kinguin.
SHIB also has a substantial wallet base. Data supplied in the source material puts the number of SHIB holders at roughly 1.69 million, with thousands of new unique wallet addresses added during September.
That said, the payment development follows SHIB’s recent inclusion on Japan’s crypto Green List by the Japan Virtual and Crypto Assets Exchange Association (JVCEA), alongside Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP.
The recognition could add weight to future SHIB payment integrations in Japan by giving the token greater standing within the country’s regulated crypto market.
SHIB, however, still has a large circulating supply of roughly 589 trillion SHIB, and its price remains just over 93% below previous highs.
At press time, SHIB was trading at $0.0000053, down 8.42% in the past 24 hours.
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