Japan Bitcoin Industry Co., Ltd. has launched a self-custodial Bitcoin payments platform, aimed at assisting Japanese businesses in reaching international customers who often face barriers with conventional payment methods.
Unveiling the platform at this week’s Bitcoin Asia conference in Hong Kong, JPI introduced Aurora, targeting an audience previously unable to access its services.
The concept is straightforward: while anime, manga, and gaming content from Japan enjoy a vast global audience, the payment systems supporting these industries have not kept pace.
Aurora is designed to bridge this gap by enabling global customers to make payments in Bitcoin via the Lightning Network, providing Japanese businesses with a streamlined point-of-sale and API for handling invoicing, payment tracking, and integrations.
JBI highlights that the market for Japanese anime content outside of Japan surged to ¥2.17 trillion in 2024, representing a 26% increase from the previous year. However, many international fans still encounter challenges when trying to purchase streaming subscriptions, digital products, and special releases due to geographical payment limitations.
A key feature of the platform is that JBI does not handle the funds. Each merchant operates their own self-custodial Lightning node, allowing them to receive Bitcoin payments directly from customers.
JBI asserts that this model provides businesses with improved regulatory clarity since the company does not serve as a custodian, while also managing the operational complexities such as node uptime, liquidity, accounting, auditing, and fiat conversion—obstacles that have historically hindered companies from implementing Bitcoin payments independently.
Furthermore, JBI indicates that Aurora builds upon insights gained from its consumer-facing platform, UseBitcoin.jp, which has enabled customers to purchase digital gift cards—including au PAY, V-Preca, and Kyash—using Lightning payments for over two years.
The company is encouraging media representatives, potential merchants, and wallet providers to engage with their team at Bitcoin Asia 2026 in Hong Kong.