October 22, 2026, 8:00 a.m. (JST)
[Japan] JCB’s corporate cards continue to gain momentum.Although payments related to B2B transactions—such as inter-company settlements and expense reimbursements—are gradually shifting toward card payments, the growth rate is reportedly slowing. Against this backdrop, what is the reason JCB continues to maintain double-digit growth? We asked Mr. Kenshi Nakamura, General Manager of Corporate Solutions Development at JCB.
The number of corporate cards issued accounts for just under 4% of the total.
Demand exists, but growth remains sluggish
According to the “Credit Statistics of Japan 2025” compiled by the Japan Credit Association, of the 320,570,000 credit cards issued as of the end of March 2025, corporate cards accounted for 12,140,000—just 3.8% of the total.The total payment volume settled via corporate cards across 15 card companies amounted to 6.324 trillion yen (“2025 Survey on Corporate Card Usage Trends,” Payments Japan Association).This figure represents less than 1 percent of Japan’s B2B payment market, which is said to total 1,000 trillion yen in business-to-business transactions and 300 trillion yen in expense processing. The growth potential for corporate credit cards is immeasurable.
However, looking at the trends in the number of cards issued in the aforementioned “Credit Statistics of Japan 2025,” while corporate cards are generally on an upward trend, the number issued at the end of March 2024 decreased by 3.6% year-over-year.Although the trend reversed to a 3.8% increase by the end of March 2025, the growth remained modest. Against this backdrop, JCB’s corporate cards have continued to make strides, posting double-digit year-over-year growth for several years now.
Mr. Nakamura candidly describes the market response, stating, “As digitalization advances in business-to-business transactions and transaction processing, there is a growing need to consolidate B2B payments—which traditionally relied on bank transfers and cash transactions—into credit card payments.”In fact, in recent years, there has been a steady stream of requests from companies wishing to introduce corporate cards, and competition has intensified. Even in this competitive environment, JCB reports that it is steadily increasing its order volume.
JCB proposes the “JCB Corporate Card” and “Purchasing Service” to major corporations. Through partnerships with other companies, it has built a track record, including the issuance of the “Air Card” with Recruit in January 2021 and the “Docomo Business CARD” with NTT Docomo Business in March 2026.Additionally, the company provides the backend infrastructure for JR Tokai’s “Express Reservation” corporate service and ANA’s “ANA Biz” domestic reservation system for corporate clients.
“Corporate Card Station” supports administrators.
Helping to “streamline corporate administrators’ workflows” and “strengthen corporate governance” through web-based solutions
One of the key differentiators JCB cites is “Corporate Card Station,” a web service for administrators that it developed in-house and launched in April 2026. Built to improve operational efficiency for administrators at major corporations, Mr. Nakamura states,
“I believe we are at the cutting edge.” For example, “Corporate Card Station” allows users to view card transaction statements in real time at any time. Users can set alerts and spending limits for monthly usage amounts and adjust card credit limits online. Additionally, VCNs (Virtual Card Numbers) can be issued instantly. Since these are tokenized, smooth recovery is possible even in the event of Fraud.
Furthermore, administrative managers can create workflows with up to three levels, enabling centralized management of operations based on these workflows. For example, it is possible to create workflows for each of the three levels: Administrative Manager (Department Head or Manager), Administrative Supervisor (Deputy Head of the Accounting Department), and Staff Member (Accounting Department Staff).
Many companies want to introduce purchasing cards to streamline accounting operations but hesitate to do so out of concern for risks such as overspending. To address this, “Corporate Card Station” allows managers to control the credit limits for each individual employee. For example, it is possible to set credit limits to zero by default and activate them only when necessary.
Mr. Nakamura passionately states, “We want to provide user-friendly services tailored to business needs and increase the number of scenarios where corporate cards can be effectively utilized.”
We don’t overlook small merchants either.
Supporting Optimal Financing with “Cashmap”
In addition to Standard, Gold, and Platinum cards, the JCB corporate card lineup includes the Standard and Gold JCB Biz ONE cards, which are specifically designed for sole proprietors and freelancers.
*Free for the first year; also free for the following year if you spend at least 1 million yen annually
Both of these cards come with access to Cashmap, a cash management and cash flow improvement portal integrated with Money Forward X.
Cashmap centrally manages payment-related information to help you achieve optimal cash flow. By linking accounts from over 2,400 financial institutions and various credit cards, it “visualizes” your current account balance and scheduled deposits and withdrawals using green, blue, and red colors.Users can register and manage invoices, and the platform clearly displays loan amounts, interest, and scheduled repayments. Simulation results for delaying payment dates are also presented in easy-to-understand graphs. Users can even make actual changes to their payment plans directly from the screen.
Small merchants, in particular, often introduce corporate credit cards to secure and raise funds. For these businesses, the company aims to “help them effectively manage their cash flow using Cashmap,” says Mr. Nakamura.For example, the food and beverage and wholesale industries have short cash flow cycles. The service has been well-received for enabling businesses in these sectors to accurately grasp their current situation and respond swiftly.
When it comes to changing payment methods, invoice-based card payments are frequently used. A card payment processing company acts as an intermediary to handle invoice payments to business partners. By using card payments, merchants can fulfill their invoice payment obligations to business partners as promised while effectively extending the payment deadline by up to 40 days.It is reportedly used by companies across a wide range of industries, including entertainment, construction, and events.
It doesn’t end with simply providing cards.
Providing the Best Services Through Partnerships with 60 Financial Institutions
“JCB is a brand, an Issuer, and an Acquirer,” says Mr. Nakamura. From this perspective, when introducing corporate cards to businesses, “we believe it is necessary to support a full range of operations—from payments and expense reimbursement to invoice management and cash flow management. This is an issue that cannot be resolved simply by issuing a card,” adds Mr. Nakamura.
Over the past 60 years, the company has refined its services through close collaboration with 60 financial institutions. Looking ahead, Mr. Nakamura states, “We intend to continue our business with the stance of providing our partner banks with ideas and the best features based on our accumulated experience and insights.”
“According to our marketing research, the JCB Group has the highest corporate card ownership rate. In that sense, we pride ourselves on being the industry leader. We will continue our efforts to create an environment where customers can use our cards on an ongoing basis,” said Mr. Nakamura.
He noted that the strength of JCB, a Japanese-born card brand, lies in its thorough understanding of Japanese business.
