Hard Yaka

Hard Yaka, Inc. is a private equity and venture capital firm established in 2010 and located in Crystal Bay, Nevada. The firm focuses on making early-stage investments in startups within the exchange space, particularly those that operate in specific market verticals or provide essential services across various exchange sectors, such as messaging and payments. Hard Yaka specializes in buyout and distressed investments, aiming to acquire majority stakes in companies involved in portable identity, payments, marketplaces for digital transformation, and regulatory technology. Through its investment strategy, Hard Yaka seeks to support the growth and development of innovative technologies and businesses.

Jun Hiraga

Partner

Greg Kidd

Co-Founder, Partner

Kevin Leiske

Partner

Katie Sullivan

Partner

Chris Lewis Ph.D

Partner

Past deals in ASIC

AnChain.AI

Series A in 2021
AnChain.ai Inc. specializes in blockchain data analytics and cryptocurrency transaction monitoring, providing solutions for public and private blockchain networks. Its offerings include Blockchain Ecosystem Intelligence, which connects wallet addresses and transactions to real-world entities, ensuring compliance with KYC and AML regulations while quantifying risk. The Transaction Analytics Platform delivers insights for day-to-day operations, featuring automated alerts, anomaly detection, and user profiling. Additionally, the company offers a Smart Contract Auditing Sandbox to assess the security of Solidity-based contracts and a Crypto Ransom Response service to track adversaries and mitigate financial losses from theft. AnChain.ai caters to a diverse clientele, including blockchain exchanges, custodians, financial institutions, and enterprises involved in cybersecurity and innovation. Founded in 2018, the company is headquartered in Milpitas, California, and is recognized by leading blockchain firms and industry committees for its contributions to security and trust in the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

Coinme

Venture Round in 2020
Coinme Inc. is a blockchain financial technology company based in Seattle, Washington, that operates a network of bitcoin ATMs and provides digital wallet services. Established in 2014, Coinme became the first state-licensed Bitcoin ATM operator in the United States and has since expanded its reach through a partnership with Coinstar, creating the largest bitcoin kiosk network globally. The company's offerings include automated teller machines for cryptocurrency, a proprietary API that enables existing financial infrastructure to support digital currency transactions, and solutions for digital currency IRAs and 401(k)s. Coinme's services aim to facilitate easy access to the digital currency economy, allowing users to buy, sell, and exchange virtual currencies securely.

Amun

Seed Round in 2019
Amun is a technology company that creates financial on-ramps to acquire, trade, and secure crypto assets. Individual customers and institutions can use our products to get crypto exposure in a safe, regulated, and easy manner.

ShapeShift

Seed Round in 2016
ShapeShift AG, founded in July 2014 and based in Zug, Switzerland, operates a web and API platform that facilitates the conversion of Bitcoin and various altcoins with a focus on consumer protection and efficiency. The platform allows users to exchange a range of cryptocurrencies, including Litecoin, Peercoin, and Dogecoin, among others. In 2019, ShapeShift enhanced its services to enable users to self-custody their crypto assets, providing the capability to buy, sell, trade, track, send, and receive digital currencies without relying on third-party trust. Additionally, ShapeShift offers several tools and services such as the ShapeShift Lens Extension for payments, a mobile application for asset exchanges, and the Shifty Button for businesses to accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The company also operates CoinCap.io, a real-time crypto market data service, and acquired the hardware wallet company KeepKey in 2017.

Ledger

Seed Round in 2015
Ledger develops security and infrastructure solutions for cryptocurrencies as well as blockchain applications for individuals and companies, by leveraging a distinctive, proprietary technology. Launched in 2014, Ledger has designed an acclaimed line of hardware security devices quickly placing the company as a global leader on the market with 1,000,000 units sold in more than 165 countries. For enterprises and corporations, Ledger introduced the Vault: a fully managed SaaS solution addressing the need to safeguard a very large amount of multiple cryptocurrencies while mitigating both IT and physical assault threats. The company is also active on the industrial IoT market, leveraging its secure hardware technology to interface sensors and machines to smart contracts or blockchain based assets. Ledger is headquartered in Paris, has a production facility in Vierzon (France) and offices in San Francisco.

LedgerX

Series A in 2014
LedgerX LLC operates an online institutional derivatives exchange platform specifically for digital currencies. Founded in 2013 and based in Vail, Colorado, the company has sought registration with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission to function as a swap execution facility and derivatives clearing organization. Formerly known as NYBX INC, LedgerX is focused on providing a regulated environment for trading digital currency futures and options. The platform features physical settlement of contracts, block trading, and algorithmic trading, enabling both individual traders and institutions to transact in cryptocurrencies efficiently. As a subsidiary of NYBX LLC, LedgerX is positioned to enhance the trading landscape for digital assets.

Coin

Venture Round in 2013
Coin is a San Francisco-based company that specializes in providing a smart payment device designed to consolidate multiple payment cards into a single, convenient format. Its flagship product, Coin 2.0, is an electronic device that stores various card information, including debit, credit, gift, loyalty, and membership cards, allowing users to make purchases using magnetic stripe or NFC tap-to-pay technology. Coin also offers a Developer Program in collaboration with major payment networks, enabling manufacturers of wearable devices, such as fitness trackers and smartwatches, to integrate secure payment capabilities. Founded in 2012, Coin focuses on delivering a user-friendly and secure payment solution that enhances the payment experience through innovative technology.

Marqeta

Series B in 2013
Marqeta is a modern card issuing platform that provides infrastructure and tools to help companies build and manage payment programs. With its open API, the Marqeta platform is designed for businesses that want a simple and tailored way of managing payment programs so that they can create experiences and power new modes of commerce. Marqeta is headquartered in Oakland, California. It operates in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia and is certified to process payments in 10 countries in APAC.
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