STORES Payment to Offer Special Rate of 1.3% for All Credit Card Brands to Medical Institutions

STORES Payment, a cashless payment service operated by STORES Inc. (hereinafter, STORES), will begin offering a new special rate for medical institutions starting April 1, 2026. Through this initiative, eligible medical institutions will be able to use Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, and Discover credit card brands, as well as QUICPay, with a payment processing fee of 1.3%, which is among the lowest in the industry (*1).

Click here for more details on STORES Payment's special medical rates

■ Background

According to new domestic indicators calculated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the cashless payment ratio reached 51.7% in 2024, and the government aims for 65% by 2030 (*2). However, cashless adoption in the medical field still faces many challenges. According to METI's compiled data, the credit card adoption rate remains at approximately 36% for clinics with 19 beds or fewer, indicating a significant delay in adoption based on facility size (*3).

The primary reason for the slow adoption of cashless payments in clinics is the "cost burden of merchant fees." STORES has decided to offer this special rate to remove these barriers and support the streamlining of medical operations and improving patient convenience.

■ Overview of STORES Payment's Special Medical Rates

The following special rates will apply to medical institutions for applications received on or after April 1, 2026.

Eligible: Medical institutions (*)

* Some industries are not eligible. Please check the FAQ below for details.

Industries not eligible for special medical rates

Supported Brands:

・Credit Cards: Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, Discover

・E-money: QUICPay

Payment Processing Fee: 1.3%

How to Apply

Please apply via the official STORES website on or after April 1, 2026. The special rate will be automatically applied to medical industry applicants.

Click here for more details on STORES Payment's special medical rates

■ Expected Effects

The introduction of the special rate will significantly reduce the burden of payment processing fees for clinics. Even facilities that had previously postponed adoption due to fees will find the barrier to entry extremely low with the realization of an industry-leading low rate of 1.3% (*1). This is expected to accelerate medical DX, including reducing waiting times for accounting, improving hygiene through contactless payments, and lightening cash reconciliation tasks.

*1: As of March 2026, comparison with major domestic payment services (company research).

*2: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Cashless Promotion Study Group, "Cashless Promotion Study Group Summary (December 2025)" from domestic indicators.

*3: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Cashless Promotion Study Group, "Cashless Promotion Study Group Summary (December 2025)" from the status and challenges of adoption in low-utilization areas.

■ STORES Payment Service Overview

STORES Payment is a cashless payment service for businesses. It supports major payment methods such as credit cards, e-money, and QR code payments, and can be used easily by anyone, anytime, anywhere, indoors or outdoors, as long as there is an internet connection.

https://stores.fun/payments

■ About STORES

STORES Inc. aims for an economy driven by passion and commitment, under the mission of "Just for Fun." We provide a wide range of products that support the store operations of small and medium-sized businesses, primarily in retail, food and beverage, and service industries. Through our "STORES" products, based on customer data, we support the sustainable sales growth of businesses and aim to realize a society overflowing with unique and diverse commerce. For more details, please visit https://www.st.inc.

・VISA is a registered trademark of Visa International Service Association.

・Mastercard is a registered trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.

・JCB is a registered trademark of JCB Co., Ltd.

・"American Express" is a registered trademark of American Express Company and/or its affiliates.

・"Diners Club" is a registered trademark of Diners Club International Ltd.

・"Discover" is a registered trademark of Discover Financial Services LLC.

・QUICPay+™ is a registered trademark of JCB Co., Ltd.