BC Card announced the completion of a two-month pilot project during which foreign stablecoins were used for QR payments at Korean merchants. The experiment demonstrated that such stablecoins, stored in overseas digital wallets, can be converted into digital prepaid cards for transactions at stores partnered with BC Card. The pilot began in October 2025 and officially ended on December 23, 2025.
What Was the BC Card Pilot Project?
The pilot aimed to test the feasibility of using foreign stablecoins as a convenient payment method via QR codes at retail locations linked to BC Card's infrastructure. The trial was conducted jointly with three partners: Wavebridge, Aaron Group, and Global Money Express, to develop the wallet linkage, conversion, and payment acceptance processes. The test lasted about two months, allowing verification of the process under real merchant conditions.
- Project goal: testing the use of foreign stablecoins for QR payments.
- Participants: BC Card, Wavebridge, Aaron Group, and Global Money Express.
- Duration: two months, from October 2025 to December 23, 2025.
How Do Stablecoin Payments Work?
Within the pilot, foreign stablecoins from overseas wallets were converted into digital prepaid cards, which were then used to pay via QR codes in stores. This approach eliminates the need for physical payment cards and direct currency exchange during transactions, simplifying the process for foreign users. Technically, this involves linking external wallets to BC Card's payment ecosystem and processing transactions according to internal payment acceptance rules.
- Conversion of stablecoins into digital prepaid cards.
- Payment via QR codes at BC Card-affiliated merchants.
- No need for physical cards or cash currency exchange.
Significance of the Project for South Korea
The pilot demonstrated that stablecoins can be integrated into the country's existing card infrastructure, paving the way for new payment acceptance methods. BC Card emphasizes that further implementation will comply with Korean legislation and forthcoming virtual asset regulations; this is important amid the preparation of the regulatory framework in the country. For more on legislative and regulatory initiatives, see also the article on the Stablecoin Act and the note about the permanent virtual assets division within Korean regulatory bodies.
BC Card CEO Choi Won-seok stated that stablecoins offer high utility for cross-border transfers, and the company intends to gradually develop the corresponding model while ensuring compliance. This confirms that the pilot focused not only on technological validation but also on alignment with future regulations.
Why This Matters
For miners in Russia with 1–1000 devices, this event does not directly change mining conditions but signals the expanding practical use of crypto assets in the payment sector. The emergence of stablecoin acceptance mechanisms among major payment providers shows that crypto technologies are gradually integrating into traditional settlements, potentially affecting liquidity and asset conversion methods across jurisdictions.
However, the key requirement remains compliance with local regulations: BC Card stresses that the solution's rollout will proceed within Korean law and upcoming virtual asset regulations, limiting broad changes in the short term.
What Should You Do?
If you mine in Russia, we recommend the following minimal steps to prepare for such changes in the payment ecosystem. First, monitor news about regulation and crypto payment integration in your target jurisdictions to understand where and how assets can be used or converted.
- Check compatibility of your wallets and exchanges with stablecoin deposits and withdrawals.
- Maintain accurate records and tax reporting according to Russian requirements.
- Assess risks and benefits of using stablecoins for settlements if you have commercial relations with foreign buyers or suppliers.
These steps will help you adapt to potential payment tool expansions without urgent technical changes to your mining infrastructure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly did the pilot test? The pilot tested the ability to convert foreign stablecoins stored in overseas wallets into digital prepaid cards for payment via QR codes at Korean merchants.
When did the project end? The pilot officially ended on December 23, 2025, after about two months of testing, which started in October 2025.
Where can such payments be used? During the pilot, payments were made at retail locations partnered with BC Card; further deployment depends on approvals under Korean law and future regulations.