PayPay Corporation （hereinafter “PayPay”）is pleased to announce that, starting August 1, 2024, local governments that issue PayPay Gift Vouchers, a type of payment method within the cashless payment service “PayPay,” will be able to simultaneously issue and sell in sets two types of gift vouchers, each valid at different stores*1. This new capability is expected to distribute economic benefits more evenly across the entire region, preventing concentration of usage in specific stores or services.
Additionally, the 16th Umi Town Chamber of Commerce Premium Gift Voucher project in Umi Town, Fukuoka Prefecture, which started accepting applications today, will be the first to introduce two types of PayPay Gift Vouchers – one that can be used at all eligible stores and another that excludes large stores – both of which will be issued and sold in sets. Similarly, the Sumida Premium Digital Gift Voucher project for fiscal year 2024 in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, has also decided to introduce two types of PayPay Gift Vouchers, with applications scheduled to start on August 15, 2024.
※1 Eligible stores for local government premium gift voucher projects are determined after confirming the participation intention of PayPay merchants.
＜ Example of Two Types of PayPay Gift Vouchers for Different Eligible Stores
Amid rising prices in Japan, there has been an increase in cases where local governments nationwide issue premium gift vouchers to support citizens’ livelihoods and revitalize regional economies. PayPay Gift Vouchers offer advantages such as the ability to restrict usage to specific users and stores, making them easy to tailor to the objectives of local governments. As a result, they are widely used by local governments as premium gift vouchers that are either distributed or sold. Additionally, unlike traditional paper-based gift vouchers, PayPay Gift Vouchers significantly reduce administrative costs related to printing, storage, and disposal. They also allow for the tracking and analysis of usage trends, benefiting both local governments and merchants. From the user’s perspective, they can easily apply for, purchase, and use these vouchers through the PayPay app they regularly use.
Until now, local governments primarily issued PayPay Gift Vouchers that could be used at a wide range of PayPay merchants within the local area as premium gift vouchers. With the addition of this new feature, it is now possible to simultaneously issue and sell in sets two types of PayPay Gift Vouchers with different eligible stores. This allows one type of voucher to be limited to, for example, local shopping arcades, thereby providing greater support for locally rooted businesses.
Moreover, users holding PayPay Gift Vouchers can check eligible stores through the “Deals” section of the PayPay app. If they possess both types of vouchers, they can confirm the eligible stores for each type.
When users make payments using these two types of PayPay Gift Vouchers, the vouchers with limited usage will be prioritized. If there is an insufficient balance, other held vouchers*2 will be applied. Additionally, these vouchers can be used in conjunction with PayPay Balance and PayPay Credit.
For information on the automatic application（priority setting）of PayPay Gift Vouchers, please click here.
※2 When using two PayPay Gift Vouchers together, vouchers received as thank you gifts for Furusato Nozei（hometown tax donation system）via Satofull can also be used.
| Local Government | Application period | Overview | Voucher Types/th> | Maximum Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Umi Town, Fukuoka Prefecture | August 1, 2024 – August 30, 2024 | Purchase 12,000 yen worth of vouchers for 10,000 yen | Voucher A（6,000 yen） – Usable at all eligible stores Voucher B（6,000 yen） – Usable at eligible stores, excluding large stores |
– Up to 5 per person |
| Sumida Ward, Tokyo | August 15, 2024 – September 13, 2024 | Purchase 12,000 yen worth of vouchers for 10,000 yen | Voucher A（8,000 yen） – Usable at merchants that are members of the Sumida Ward Shopping Arcade Association and supporting merchants Voucher B（4,000 yen） – Usable at large merchants that are members of the Sumida Ward Shopping Arcade Association ※Also usable at Voucher A stores |
Up to 5 per person |
| Kita Ward, Tokyo | September 2, 2024 – September 30, 2024 | Purchase 12,000 yen worth of vouchers for 10,000 yen | Usable at stores participating in the Kita Ward Shopping Arcade Association as voucher-handling stores | Up to 2 per person |
| Fukuoka City Shopping Arcades （5 shopping arcades around Ohori and Maizuru Parks） |
September 2, 2024 – September 27, 2024 | Purchase 6,000 yen worth of vouchers for 5,000 yen | Usable at certain merchants that are members of the shopping arcade association | Up to 10 per person |
※ Can be scrolled horizontally.
Through the Support Your Local Town Project, PayPay has been actively supporting regional economic revitalization by conducting campaigns that award points for PayPay payments in the respective regions, in collaboration with 465 local governments across 46 prefectures（※3）.
With PayPay Gift Vouchers（Local Government Vouchers）, PayPay will continue to accelerate its efforts towards the digital transformation of local government voucher programs, ultimately aiming to revitalize regional economies.
※3 As of June 2024.
■ About PayPay Gift Vouchers
PayPay Gift Vouchers（※4）are a payment method issued by PayPay with limited validity periods and usage ranges.
Currently, they can be obtained through the following means：
Thank you gifts for Furusato Nozei（Hometown tax donation system）from local governments via Satofull（※5）
Gift vouchers distributed or sold as part of local government initiatives
※4 PayPay Gift Vouchers are available with PayPay app version 4.4.0 or higher.
※5 The validity period for PayPay Gift Vouchers received as thank you gifts for Furusato Nozei（hometown tax donation system）via Satofull is two years（730 days）.
■ About “PayPay”, the cashless payment service provided by PayPay Corporation
“PayPay” is a cashless payment service that continues to expand throughout Japan, facilitating transactions at large chain stores, small to medium-sized shops, vending machines, taxis, and public transportation. It is also available for a variety of payment scenarios, including online services and bill payments for utilities. Additionally, the service offers convenient features beyond payments, such as the ability to “Send/Receive” PayPay Balance (PayPay Money and PayPay Money Lite) between users without any fees. The “Earn Points” feature allows users to exchange PayPay Points for points with a partner service provider to simulate investment experiences offered by the providers. Furthermore, PayPay Corporation has established a 24/7 telephone support line and a compensation system to ensure user safety, providing peace of mind in case of any incidents.
PayPay Corporation is registered as follows：
・Prepaid Payment Instruments（third party type）Issuer（Registration number: Director-General of the Kanto Finance Bureau, No. 00710／Registration date: October 5, 2018）
・Business Operator that Concludes Contracts on the Handling of Credit Card Numbers, etc.（Registration number: Kanto（Ku）No. 106／Registration date: July 1, 2019）
・Telecommunications Carrier（Filing number: A-02-17943／Date filed: July 2, 2019）
・Fund Transfer Operator（Registration number: Director-General of the Kanto Finance Bureau, No. 00068／Registration date: September 25, 2019）
・Notified Entity Entrusted with Intermediation（Filing number: C1907980／Date filed: December 18, 2019）
・Bank Agency Services（License: Director-General of the Kanto Finance Bureau（Gindai）No. 396／Registration date: November 26, 2020）
・Financial Instruments Intermediary Services（Registration number: Kanto Finance Bureau Director（Kinchu）No. 942／Registration date: June 25, 2021）
・Electronic Payment Agency Services（License: Director-General of the Kanto Finance Bureau（Dendai）No. 109／Registration date: February 14, 2023）
・Japan Payment Service Association（ https://www.s-kessai.jp/, Date of admission: September 12, 2018）
・Japan Consumer Credit Association（ https://www.j-credit.or.jp/ , Date of admission: July 1, 2019）
* “PayPay” offers four types of electronic money and other services: PayPay Money, PayPay Money Lite, PayPay Points, and PayPay Gift Certificates.
PayPay Money can be used to pay for partner services and merchants if it is within the amount deposited into the PayPay account opened after completing an identity verification process. It can also be used for sending and receiving money between PayPay users free of charge. PayPay Money can also be cashed out to a designated bank account (no withdrawal fee if using PayPay Bank). The legal nature of this is an electromagnetic record which can be used to pay for goods and services, can be remitted or cashed out, and is issued by PayPay who is a Fund Transfer Operator registered under Article 37 of the Payment Services Act. Based on the provisions of Article 43 of the Payment Services Act, PayPay protects the debt it owes to its users by depositing assets equivalent to or higher than the debt amount. PayPay Money Lite is an electronic money issued by PayPay, which can be purchased and used to pay for services and merchants. PayPay users can transfer and receive PayPay Money Lite free of charge. The legal nature of this is a prepaid payment instrument issued by PayPay (Article 3, Paragraph 1 of the Payment Services Act). Based on the provisions of Article 14 of the Payment Services Act, PayPay preserves the relevant assets for the purpose of protecting the owners of the prepaid payment instrument by providing a security deposit for issuance to the Legal Affairs Bureau in an amount that is half or more of the unused balance of prepaid instrument methods as of March 31 and September 30. In addition, PayPay Points, which are granted through campaigns and promotions when using PayPay, can be used for partner services and in transactions at merchants in addition to PayPay Money and PayPay Money Lite. However, it cannot be transferred to other users or cashed out. PayPay Gift Voucher is a type of electronic money issued by PayPay, which can be used to make payments for affiliated services and merchants designated by the PayPay Gift Voucher. However, it cannot be transferred to other users or cashed out. PayPay Gift Vouchers have an expiration date, after which they will no longer be valid. The deadline for Gift Vouchers can be confirmed in the details or specifications of the measure or promotion campaigns for which they are issued.
PayPay also strives to create a safe and secure environment for users. If an unexpected payment is made by a third party using a PayPay account, or if a request to settle a payment suddenly arrives from PayPay to a user that does not have a PayPay account, there is a scheme that ensures compensation for the damages suffered (the difference will be provided as compensation if compensation is also provided by a third party), given that the prescribed conditions are met. Please see applying for compensation for details.
※ Company names, trade names, and products/services in this press release are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies.
