Powering Global Payments | JCB at MPE 2025

Ray Shinzawa, who heads Europe at JCB International Europe, shared some insights about the company’s strategy and progress at MPE 2025.

He mentioned that JCB has been active in contactless payments since 2005, starting with their own Type F solution and later adding popular standards like Type A and B, plus support for Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Shinzawa noted that JCB has issued over 164 million cards in 18 Asian markets. Cardholders enjoy a smooth contactless payment process, showing JCB’s long presence in that area.

There’s been a big surge in e-commerce lately, mainly due to changes in how people shop after COVID. Shinzawa pointed out that more internet use and the return of tourists to Europe are also factors. To keep up with this growth, JCB has teamed up with merchants to offer cashback deals, encouraging customers to use their cards more.

To build awareness of the JCB brand in Europe, they’ve launched the BETA Omotenashi project. This effort aims to spread the word at a local level. The term Omotenashi reflects a commitment to providing great experiences for both merchants and consumers.

Shinzawa also highlighted Japan as a leader in QR code payments, where JCB’s Smart Code solution has unified different QR standards. Because of this, 1.5 million merchants in Japan now accept JCB’s QR payments.

The discussion included JCB’s partnerships with acquirers to offer multi-currency options for merchants. This makes it easier for Asian cardholders to know which cards they can use in Europe, ensuring a smooth experience for international customers.

On the tech side, Shinzawa mentioned that JCB is part of ENB Corp, working on chip security and 3D Secure (3DS) capabilities. They’re also involved with PCI DSS to keep data secure for both merchants and consumers.mpe

In closing, Shinzawa stressed JCB’s effort to connect European merchants with the growing market of Asian consumers, aiming to improve payment systems and cross-border transactions for everyone involved.