Fast Accounting and DeCurret Slash B2B Payment Workloads by 75% in Digital Currency PoC
A consortium of four domestic technology and financial firms has successfully completed a Proof of Concept aimed at fully automating B2B invoice payments. By bridging the international e-invoicing standard "Peppol" with the bank-backed digital currency "DCJPY," the initiative targets a long-sought goal in corporate accounting: the complete elimination of missed and erroneous bank transfers.
The joint venture, comprising Fast Accounting, GMO Aozora Net Bank, Internet Initiative Japan, and DeCurret DCP, tackles the notoriously inefficient legacy processes of corporate billing. According to the consortium, the recent trial successfully reduced the personnel required for billing and payment reconciliation by approximately 75%, demonstrating massive potential for digital transformation (DX) in corporate finance.
How It Works: Tokens and Automation
Historically, Japanese corporate settlements have been bogged down by paper invoices, fragmented digital formats, and the labor-intensive manual transcription of data into payment systems.
This new domestic-first initiative creates a seamless pipeline from invoice generation to final reconciliation. Fast Accounting’s suite of solutions—including "Seikyu Sofu Accel" and "Remota"—converts invoice data into the globally recognized Peppol format and routes it between trading partners.
Once received, the system automatically mints a "Business Transaction Token" via DeCurret DCP’s network. This token acts as a smart trigger, automatically executing the payment using DCJPY—a yen-denominated, tokenized bank deposit utilizing blockchain technology. Upon completion of the payment, a "Reconciliation NFT" is issued. This NFT feeds directly back into the buyer's and seller's accounting software, automating the traditionally tedious visual matching and reconciliation processes.
Industry Context and Future Outlook
This PoC is the practical realization of concepts developed by the "Invoice Chain Working Group," an industry-wide forum of 27 companies launched in May 2024 to dismantle the silos separating corporate accounting and settlement systems.
With the technical feasibility now proven—specifically the automated handover of Peppol data to transaction tokens, and the subsequent DCJPY execution—the consortium is shifting its focus toward commercialization.
The companies announced they are concurrently refining system features, analyzing market demand, and actively seeking joint sales partners. The consortium has set an ambitious target to roll out the commercial release of this automated B2B payment infrastructure by December 2026, a move that could significantly reshape Japan's corporate payment landscape.
Norbert Gehrke
