The mobile wallet from Japanese carrier au (KDDI), supporting QR and Mastercard contactless payments, tied to au phone bills and Ponta points, with wide acceptance in Japan.
!Not a bank. au PAY operates as a funds-transfer service and e-money under Japan’s Payment Services Act; balances are not deposits; wallet balances are e-money / stored value, NOT deposits, and are outside deposit-insurance protection. Funds are safeguarded in segregated / trust accounts under the applicable rules, not covered by any deposit guarantee scheme.
Limited. You need a Japanese mobile number (any carrier can register) plus residence-card verification. Short-stay visitors without a residence card generally cannot complete verification.
No mandatory minimum; an initial top-up of JPY 1,000–5,000 is typical｜Payments are free; withdrawals to a bank account cost around JPY 220 each per official notices.
Limits scale with verification tier; unverified balances are capped very low (tens of thousands of yen). Check the app. Balances are not deposits and are not deposit-insured.
Limited. You need a Japanese mobile number (any carrier can register) plus residence-card verification. Short-stay visitors without a residence card generally cannot complete verification.
Local bank account: Not required — you can bind a Japanese card or bank account, or top up with cash at convenience stores. Items typically needed: A Japanese mobile number; Residence card (foreigners); A Japanese bank account or Japanese credit card (optional); A smartphone.
Typically: A Japanese mobile number; Residence card (foreigners); A Japanese bank account or Japanese credit card (optional); A smartphone.
How to sign up: Fully online — register with a Japanese number and verify with a residence card (About 10–15 minutes; verification usually same-day). Steps: 1) Download the au PAY app 2) Register with your Japanese number and confirm the SMS code 3) Upload your residence card for verification 4) Link a card or top up with cash at a convenience store 5) You can then pay by QR or touch Fees: Payments are free; withdrawals to a bank account cost around JPY 220 each per official notices.
Limits scale with verification tier; unverified balances are capped very low (tens of thousands of yen). Check the app. Balances are not deposits and are not deposit-insured.
E-wallet rules change often — always follow the latest instructions in the official app.