Gaia
2 known investors
Gaia provides cryptocurrency solutions for listed companies, corporations, and institutional investors, including risk-controlled Bitcoin treasury strategies, lending products, DeFi index construction and operation, and crypto-to-fiat payment integration for physical and online stores. The firm also develops crypto-related products such as market monitoring/notification tools and copy-trading services.
Also known as Gaia Inc. · 株式会社Gaia
Investors · 2
Also in the syndicate · 1
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Kabushiki Kaisha Gaia (Gaia Inc.) is a Tokyo-based fintech and blockchain company founded on 18 May 2017 and led by representative director Masahiro Kubota, with Shogo Nishida as director. Its stated business lines cover crypto-asset services, payments, blockchain development, financial system development, consulting, and web system and application development. Registered capital is stated as 341,640,000 yen on the company site; an earlier third-party listing recorded 127,500,000 yen and roughly 10 employees, and a startup database lists headcount at 10 or fewer as of 2026.
The current product set comprises: a Bitcoin treasury management strategy for listed companies, corporations and institutional investors built around risk-controlled crypto portfolios; the crypto lending service "Kashitoku" (貸とく), which pays interest to depositors of crypto assets, allows flexible tenors, handles application and deposit/withdrawal fully online, and uses multi-signature wallets; an "AI-native fund" drawing on the firm's operating experience since 2017 and on know-how from an AI-sector listed company; the DeFi index service LOCKON, which supports construction and operation of decentralized indices and has been deployed multi-chain with grant awards; and the crypto payment service Kuripay (クリペイ), which connects crypto wallets and stablecoin settlement to yen-denominated payment at physical stores and online. Previously operated and since transferred services include the blockchain card game Crypto Alchemist, the Bitcoin large-order monitoring and push-notification app Inago Push, the copy-trading service Maneko, and comparison media sites in the AGA clinic and hair-removal salon categories.
The company reports professional staff spanning engineering, trading, legal, tax structuring, smart contract audit, security review, Web3 product management and investment, with backgrounds at domestic and overseas financial institutions and crypto startups, and cites crypto-related patents. It banks with Mizuho Bank, uses Anderson Mori & Tomotsune and GVA Law Office as counsel, and belongs to the Japan Cryptoasset Business Association, the Blockchain Collaborative Consortium and the Japan Blockchain Association.
Business model
Gaia sells crypto-asset services to corporate and institutional clients — advisory and execution for Bitcoin treasury strategies (including M&A, partnership building, utility provision and IR support), operation of a lending platform that borrows customers' crypto assets and pays interest by rate, support for building and running DeFi indices, and merchant-facing crypto/stablecoin payment integration. It also carries out contract system development alongside its own products, and has previously divested consumer services it built.
Traction
Products in market include Kashitoku (formally released February 2025), LOCKON and Kuripay. LOCKON is reported as third globally on Polygon and fifth on Arbitrum with multiple grants secured. The company reports the largest number of BTC treasury support engagements in Japan. Databases record a Series B stage as of March 2026, an estimated post-money valuation of 2,338 million yen, and 10 or fewer employees. Shareholders include Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Capital, Global Brain, NOW, Remixpoint, Iole and Venture Labo Investment.
Latest developments
In February 2026 Iole disclosed progress on its investment in Gaia. In March 2026 the two firms announced a capital and business alliance to roll out AI-integrated DAT management for listed companies, and Gaia announced a 400 million yen raise from Iole and Venture Labo Investment, to be used for advancing the AI-fused DAT management model, strengthening its operating framework for listed companies, expanding security and custody infrastructure, and building out overseas corporate and exchange networks. The company's news page dates the Iole capital and business alliance announcement to 6 April 2026.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
Gaia positions itself as an all-round crypto-asset solution provider in Japan and claims the largest number of BTC treasury support engagements in the country. Third-party databases classify it as a Series B-stage startup in finance, blockchain, crypto and payments, with an estimated post-money valuation of 2,338 million yen as of March 2026 and headcount of 10 or fewer.
The firm combines end-to-end coverage — strategy, implementation and ongoing operation — across treasury management, lending, DeFi index construction and payments, and pairs that with compliance infrastructure, outside counsel from major Japanese law firms, industry association membership, and a cross-functional team spanning trading, legal, tax structuring and smart contract security.
Technology
Blockchain-based product development, including a DeFi index protocol deployed multi-chain (reported top-three ranking on Polygon and fifth on Arbitrum, with multiple grant awards), multi-signature wallet custody for the lending service, wallet-linked stablecoin settlement for fast cashless payments, automated interest calculation in the corporate lending platform, and an AI-driven treasury management model co-developed with Iole. In-house capabilities cited include smart contract auditing and security review, and crypto-related patents.
Go-to-market
The company markets directly to listed companies, corporations and institutional investors via an inquiry-based sales process on its site, and expands through partnerships and capital tie-ups — for example the alliance with Iole for AI-driven DAT (digital asset treasury) management and a business partnership with FURAI on crypto payment adoption support. Membership of Japanese industry associations and participation in accelerator programs (Plug and Play, the Asahi Media accelerator, Fracton incubation) also feature in its positioning.
Listed companies, corporates and institutional investors seeking Bitcoin treasury and asset management support; retail and corporate holders of crypto assets using the Kashitoku lending service; and merchants, both physical stores and online, adopting crypto and stablecoin payments.
Geography
Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, with addresses variously recorded in Nihonbashi-Muromachi, Kyobashi and Hatchobori in Chuo-ku; a head office relocation was announced in December 2021. Proceeds from the March 2026 raise are earmarked in part for expanding overseas corporate entities and overseas exchange networks.
History
Gaia was established on 18 May 2017. Early activity centred on consumer and trading tools: the copy-trading service Maneko, which was reported to have raised about 100 million yen in April 2019; the crypto order-flow monitoring and notification app Inago Push, released in 2019 with added position and liquidation monitoring features in 2020; and the blockchain game Crypto Alchemist, which opened pre-registration in October 2019, ran a closed beta in June 2020 and received a major update and service restart in November 2020. The company also operated comparison media, opening a hair-removal salon comparison site in January 2021. Board changes were announced in April 2021 and the head office moved in December 2021. The business subsequently concentrated on institutional crypto finance: the Kashitoku lending service launched in February 2025, a payment-adoption partnership with FURAI followed in April 2025, and a memorandum of understanding on a strategic crypto-finance alliance with Iole was signed in November 2025, developing into a capital and business alliance announced in March 2026 alongside a 400 million yen raise. Several earlier consumer services are now listed as transferred to other owners.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 15
launches, deals, and filingsGaia announced a 400 million yen raise with Iole and Venture Labo Investment as subscribers, earmarked for advancing its AI-fused DAT management model, strengthening its operating framework for listed companies, expanding security and custody infrastructure, and building out overseas corporate and exchange networks.
Gaia and Iole announced a capital and business alliance to deploy AI-fused digital asset treasury (DAT) management for listed companies. Gaia's own news page dates the announcement 2026-04-06.
Gaia released its crypto-asset lending service Kashitoku; a formal release announcement is dated 2025-02-19 in a startup database listing.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- Gaiagaia-eve.co.jp · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Gaia do?
- Japanese fintech firm offering BTC treasury strategy, crypto lending, DeFi index and crypto payment services to companies and institutions.
- Who are Gaia's investors?
- Gaia's investors include NOW Japan.