October 21, 2026, 7:00 a.m. (JST)
[Japan] On October 20, 2026, JR East launched “teppay,” a QR Code Payment service available through the Mobile Suica app.On the same day, the company held a briefing session at the TAKANAWA GATEWAY Convention Center in Takanawa, Tokyo, followed by a press preview and a press conference at Newoman Takanawa. How will the service handle payments exceeding Suica’s 20,000-yen limit and balance transfers, and how will it expand its network of participating Merchants? We examine these questions based on remarks made during the briefing and press conference, as well as publicly released materials.(Credit Card DB, Hideo Osawa)
Combining
payment services with Suica as the starting point Up to 300,000 yen with identity verification; up to the credit limit when linked with a View Card
At the start of the briefing, Mr. Tatsuro Makino, Executive Officer at JR East and Head of the Suica and Payment Infrastructure Development Unit within the Marketing Strategy Department, reflected on how the environment surrounding Suica has changed significantly—notably with the widespread adoption of cashless payments spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic.“I strongly felt that if Suica didn’t adapt to these changes and evolve, customers might stop choosing it,” Mr. Makino stated. One of the initiatives launched in December 2024 under the slogan “Going Beyond What Suica Is Known For” is teppay.
teppay is a new feature added to the Mobile Suica app, which has over 45 million active users; it becomes available once the app is updated to the latest version. The service will launch “gradually starting at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 20, 2026,” and is scheduled to become available on Mobile PASMO in the spring of 2027.JR East has set a target of 70 million Mobile Suica cards by fiscal year 2031.
This marks a late entry into the QR Code Payment market. When asked during an exclusive interview how the company plans to differentiate itself, Nahito Takamatsu, General Manager of the Payment and Financial Business Division within the Suica and QR Code Payment Infrastructure Development Unit of the Marketing Strategy Department at JR East, explained that rather than competing on the QR Code Payment feature itself, the service is positioned to enhance the convenience of Suica.“We aim to provide significant value to our customers by having them use a variety of payment services in conjunction with Suica as the starting point,” said Takamatsu.
Regarding the limitations of Suica alone, Takamatsu highlighted its strength as a quick, contactless payment method but also pointed out that it requires recharging and limits purchases to 20,000 yen. “We’ve long hoped that customers would be able to exceed that limit,” Takamatsu said.With a teppay balance, users can make payments of up to 300,000 yen after verifying their identity using a My Number Card. If they link a View Card after identity verification, they can pay up to the card’s credit limit without needing to top up in advance. Regarding Suica’s own 20,000-yen limit, Takamatsu stated that the company will continue exploring ways to raise it in the future.
Points: 0.5% for balance payments, 1% for linked payments
No plans to integrate teppay points with JRE POINT
In this magazine’s March article, it was reported that the points would be teppay’s proprietary points rather than “JRE POINT.” At launch, however, users earn “teppay points” equivalent to 0.5% of the payment amount when paying with their teppay balance, while payments linked to a View Card earn JRE POINT instead of teppay points.JRE POINT offers up to 10 points (up to 1%) per 1,000 yen (tax included), which is up to twice the 0.5% earned when the View Card statement is finalized.In downtown shopping areas, the JAL Card Suica and Bic Camera Suica Card offer the same reward rate for linked payments as they do for direct card payments (the JAL Card Suica offers a standard 0.5% in JAL Miles, while the Bic Camera Suica Card offers up to 1.0%). Teppay Points are not earned when reloading transit IC card balances or purchasing commuter passes.
Standard teppay points can be exchanged for JRE POINT. Regarding the integration of the two point systems, Mr. Takamatsu replied, “We have no plans to do so at this time.”Starting in the spring of 2027, Mobile PASMO users will also be able to use teppay. Since Mobile PASMO users are not expected to use JRE POINT directly, the company is guiding them to accumulate teppay points and then exchange those for JRE POINT.
From Young People to
Family and Friends Combining Mobility and Purchase Data to Drive Traffic to Partner Businesses
As for how it differs from other QR Code Payment systems, Mr. Takamatsu pointed out that it doesn’t require downloading a Mobile Wallet, that users can top up their balance with transportation e-money, and that starting in the spring of 2027, they’ll be able to transfer balances to and from Mobile PASMO. Regarding the target user base, he noted that it’s likely to provide young people with their first opportunity to own a Suica card.Noting that parents often pay for high school students’ commuter passes, he expressed hope that teppay would spread from young people to their families and friends.
Regarding the use of data, the company believes that by combining the travel data managed by Suica with data on high-value purchases—which had not been covered previously—and cross-referencing the two, they can provide new value. Additionally, by using teppay on Mobile Suica to promote coupons and campaigns, the company aims to attract customers—who have primarily used rail services—to the JR East Group’s other services.
Credit card top-ups are limited
to View Cards Money transfer services will be considered depending on demand
Only View Cards can be registered for credit card top-ups (View Cards with the “ii” mark and View Corporate Cards are excluded).In this magazine’s March article, setting Interchange Fees (IRF) was cited as an issue regarding credit card top-ups using other cards. When asked whether they plan to expand this in the future, Mr. Takamatsu pointed out that linking bank accounts already covers a significant portion of the market, that View Cards can be issued in as little as five minutes, and that linking a View Card to JRE BANK for Mobile Suica, teppay,View Card—linking a JRE BANK account to a View Card for direct debit offers “significant savings,” specifically including a 40% discount coupon for the Shinkansen—and stated, “For now, we’ll limit it to View Cards only.”As part of JRE BANK’s permanent benefits, starting with the assessment on December 25, 2026, top-ups from a JRE BANK account to teppay (totaling 5,000 yen or more) will be added as a condition for receiving the “JRE BANK Preferential Discount Coupon (40% off)”(This requires linking a JRE POINT account and maintaining a balance of at least 500,000 yen). The discount coupon provides a 40% discount on one-way fares and fees on JR East operating lines. In addition to the View Card, top-ups can be made via financial institution accounts or cash at Seven Bank and Lawson Bank ATMs.
Teppay started as a prepaid payment method. Regarding services that go beyond this, Mr. Takamatsu stated that there are no plans to announce anything at this time, but added that if there is significant demand, they would consider it positively, and if a money transmission business license is necessary to make the service more convenient, they would explore that option as well.
Over
1.7 million merchants accept Smart Code The MPM system charges a 1.9% Payment Processing Fee, with up to 12 months free
To expand the merchant network, through a partnership with JCB’s “Smart Code,” the service can be used at over 1.7 million locations nationwide (as of the end of March 2026) displaying the Smart Code logo. It can also be used at commercial facilities operated by the JR East Group and at stores displaying the teppay logo.
MPM (Merchant Presented Mode), which was scheduled for implementation in March, was introduced as a user-scan method, and online applications from participating merchants began being accepted in July 2026. Applications are handled by View Card.Merchants can implement the service simply by placing a QR code in their store; no new payment terminals are required. The Payment Processing Fee is 1.9% (tax-exempt), with no initial fees, monthly fees, or transfer fees; sales proceeds are deposited once a month. Sole proprietors are also eligible to apply.Merchants who apply for the user-scan method by March 31, 2027, will have their Payment Processing Fees waived until the end of the month up to 12 months after the merchant contract date.
For online purchases, users can use the “teppay JCB Prepaid Card,” which is issued within the app.On Ekinet as well, users can make payments by entering the number of this prepaid card, which is issued after identity verification. Regarding the difference between this method and paying with a View Card, Mr. Takamatsu cited the ability to transfer balances—a feature not available with View Cards—and demonstrated how users can, for example, purchase tickets using the balance they have received.
Regarding service areas, Takamatsu noted that since teppay will be integrated into all Mobile Suica accounts, users outside the JR East service area will also be able to use it, and teppay will become available in the JR Hokkaido service area as well, where the adoption of Mobile Suica has already been decided.
As an indicator of the service’s adoption, Mr. Takamatsu cited “the total amount spent via teppay.”From November 4 to December 25, the company will gradually roll out launch commemorative initiatives, including a campaign that awards 20% in teppay points for QR Code Payments of 500 yen (tax included) or more after registration (up to 5,000 points per person during the campaign period).
