Hard Yaka

Hard Yaka, Inc., established in 2010 and headquartered in Crystal Bay, Nevada, is a private equity firm focusing on buyout and distressed investments. It specializes in investing in companies that facilitate digital transformation, such as those focused on portable identity, payments, and marketplaces. The firm typically seeks majority stakes in its investments. Additionally, Hard Yaka makes early round investments in startup companies within the exchange space, targeting verticals in specific exchange markets or horizontal services providers across various exchange sectors.

Jun Hiraga

Partner

Kevin Leiske

Partner

Margaret Slemmer

Partner, Co-COO

Katie Sullivan

Partner

Past deals in Bitcoin

Blockdaemon

Series A in 2021
Blockdaemon Inc. is a blockchain node management platform that enables businesses, enterprises, and developers to efficiently deploy and manage blockchain applications. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California, with additional offices in New York and Ireland, the company provides tools that allow users to manage nodes across more than 30 blockchain protocols, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Polkadot. Blockdaemon's solution is designed to be fully portable, enabling users to easily switch between networks and chains without the need for extensive configuration. The company also supports the blockchain developer ecosystem by offering expert dev-ops advice, facilitating smoother integration and deployment in the rapidly evolving blockchain landscape.

Coinme

Venture Round in 2020
Coinme Inc. operates as a bitcoin exchange and ATM operator, providing a range of services that facilitate access to the digital currency economy. Founded in 2014 and based in Seattle, Washington, the company runs the largest licensed cryptocurrency cash exchange in the U.S., with a network of bitcoin ATMs available in 48 states. Through partnerships with Coinstar and MoneyGram, Coinme enables customers to buy and sell bitcoin using cash at thousands of physical locations. The company also offers a digital wallet, a proprietary API, and solutions for digital currency IRAs and 401(k)s. These services aim to simplify the process of engaging with digital currencies, allowing users to securely buy, sell, store, and manage their crypto assets while enhancing the existing financial infrastructure of its partners.

ShapeShift

Seed Round in 2016
ShapeShift is a digital currency exchange platform established in July 2014, designed to facilitate the instant conversion of Bitcoin and various altcoins. The platform distinguishes itself by allowing users to trade cryptocurrencies without the need for user accounts or registration, thereby enhancing privacy and reducing risks associated with personal information and funds. In the summer of 2019, ShapeShift introduced a new platform that empowers users to self-custody their crypto assets while providing functionalities to buy, sell, trade, track, send, and receive cryptocurrencies independently of third-party involvement. Additionally, the company operates CoinCap.io, a real-time crypto market data service, and acquired the hardware wallet company KeepKey in 2017. ShapeShift is led by industry veteran Erik Voorhees.

Bitso

Seed Round in 2015
Bitso is a cryptocurrency exchange platform founded in 2014 and headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico. The company specializes in facilitating the buying and selling of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, providing users with a marketplace where they can trade fractions of various digital assets. Bitso's platform is designed for ease of use, allowing customers to conduct transactions and make payments via mobile devices. By focusing on the fintech and blockchain sectors, Bitso aims to enhance accessibility to cryptocurrency trading for users in Mexico and beyond.

Bitso

Venture Round in 2014
Bitso is a cryptocurrency exchange platform founded in 2014 and headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico. The company specializes in facilitating the buying and selling of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, providing users with a marketplace where they can trade fractions of various digital assets. Bitso's platform is designed for ease of use, allowing customers to conduct transactions and make payments via mobile devices. By focusing on the fintech and blockchain sectors, Bitso aims to enhance accessibility to cryptocurrency trading for users in Mexico and beyond.

37coins

Venture Round in 2014
37coins is a bitcoin startup based in Sunnyvale, California, participating in the Plug and Play Tech Center's bitcoin accelerator program. The company offers an SMS bitcoin wallet service aimed at the unbanked and underserved populations in developing economies that lack Internet access. This service enables individuals to send and receive money using their mobile phones, facilitating transactions without the need for online connectivity. Moreover, users with Internet access can register as gateway operators, mediating transactions and earning fees in the process. Since its launch in March, 37coins has established partnerships in countries like Singapore and the Philippines, striving to enhance the accessibility of bitcoin through its innovative SMS technology.

TradeBlock

Seed Round in 2014
TradeBlock, Inc. is a New York-based company that specializes in developing institutional trading tools for digital currencies. Founded in 2013, it provides financial institutions with a comprehensive suite of execution and analysis tools tailored for the digital currency markets. TradeBlock serves as a global source of data, offering insights on market trends, cryptocurrency trading, regulations, mining, protocol updates, blockchain analysis, and economic developments. As of December 31, 2020, TradeBlock operates as a subsidiary of CoinDesk LLC.

Filecoin

Seed Round in 2014
Filecoin is a decentralized data storage network that leverages blockchain technology, similar to Bitcoin. It operates by renting out unused disk space from participants to store files securely. Users can earn Filecoin tokens for contributing their storage capacity. These tokens can be exchanged for other currencies such as Bitcoin and USD. The company is headquartered in the United States.

LedgerX

Series A in 2014
LedgerX LLC operates an online institutional derivatives exchange platform for digital currencies, facilitating smooth trading of futures and options. Founded in 2014 and based in New York, the company has sought registration with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission to function as a swap execution facility and derivatives clearing organization. The platform is designed to support physical settlement of contracts, block trading, and algorithmic trading, catering to both individual traders and institutions in the cryptocurrency market. As a subsidiary of NYBX LLC, LedgerX aims to enhance the trading experience in the evolving digital currency landscape.

Coinbase Global

Seed Round in 2012
Coinbase Global, established in 2012, operates a leading cryptocurrency exchange platform in the United States. The company facilitates transactions, buying, selling, and storage of digital currencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin for both consumers and merchants. Coinbase offers a range of products including Coinbase.com, a user-friendly platform for bitcoin transactions, a global digital asset exchange, merchant tools, and custodial services. The company, headquartered in San Francisco, California, aims to provide a safe and regulation-compliant entry point into the cryptocurrency economy.
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