Tierion
Tierion builds blockchain-anchored data proof infrastructure based on its open Chainpoint standard, enabling developers and enterprises to create independently verifiable proofs of data integrity and timestamps anchored to the Bitcoin blockchain.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersMountain View, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Tierion does
Tierion, Inc. is a US-based private company that builds blockchain-anchored data proof infrastructure, founded in 2015 and headquartered in Mountain View, California (with operating and legal references to Austin, Texas and Hartford, Connecticut). Its core technology, Chainpoint, is an open standard and distributed network for creating cryptographic proofs that link data hashes to the Bitcoin blockchain, enabling independent verification of data integrity and timestamps without a trusted third party. Supporting infrastructure includes a lightweight Bitcoin Header Node built with bcoin (~30MB disk, ~1-hour sync), a JavaScript client library and CLI, a Gateway REST API, integration with the drand distributed randomness beacon through the League of Entropy (alongside Cloudflare and Protocol Labs), and CockroachDB-backed storage capable of 100M+ blockchain proofs per day. Tierion also offers Proof, a commercial product positioned for enterprise buyers needing tamper-evident audit trails and regulatory compliance, plus Boltwall middleware and LSATs (co-developed with Lightning Labs) for Lightning Network paywalls and authentication.
The company runs a developer-led, API-first go-to-market layered with an emerging enterprise motion. Free self-serve tools (Hash API capped at three records/second or 1,000 records/hour) drive long-tail adoption, while partnership distribution through Microsoft (Logic Apps/Flow marketplace and decentralized identity), Xero, Liaison (7,000+ customers in 46 countries via ALLOY), Ultimus (80+ countries via BPM), Philips Blockchain Lab, and others positions Chainpoint across accounting, data integration, BPM, healthcare, identity, and government verticals. Tierion's network reached 5,000+ publicly registered nodes and 10,000+ active nodes within a week of the September 2017 network launch, with a 4,000+ member Telegram/Discord community supporting node operations.
Tierion's revenue model historically depended on token incentives (TNT) for Chainpoint node operators, with paid API subscriptions under Terms of Service that cap liability at the greater of US$100 or amounts paid in the prior 12 months; the Proof for Business product was positioned as 'launching soon' with email-signup-only access and no public pricing. Capital to date comprises a $1M seed round in April 2016 (led by Blockchain Capital with Fenbushi Capital and Digital Currency Group) and a July 2017 ERC-20 token sale that raised approximately $25.35M from 5,500+ purchasers; the TNT sale subsequently became the subject of a December 2020 SEC civil settlement, with Tierion paying a $250,000 fine without admitting or denying the claims. The company operates with a 1–10 person team.
Tierion firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tierion
- Legal name
- Tierion, Inc.
- Website
- https://tierion.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Tierion builds blockchain-anchored data proof infrastructure based on its open Chainpoint standard, enabling developers and enterprises to create independently verifiable proofs of data integrity and timestamps anchored to the Bitcoin blockchain.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tierion industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Blockchain Infrastructure / Blockchain Proof Engine
- akta.pro primary industry
- Regulatory Reporting, Tax & Audit Trails (reconciliation, provenance) (FSAPAJAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Oracles, Data Feeds & Attestations (price feeds, randomness, proofs) (FSAPAAAI), Compliance, Risk & RegTech for Tokenized Assets (KYC/AML, sanctions, travel rule, reporting) (FSAPAIAH), Monitoring, Observability & Incident Response (alerts, traces, runtime monitoring) (FSAPABAJ)
Keywords
Where Tierion is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mountain View
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Tierion business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- API/Platform Service Fees: Users register accounts to access Tierion's API and Services under a non-exclusive license; agreement covers paid tiers (with liability cap referenced against amounts paid over preceding 12 months). Free tier (Hash API) capped at three records per second or 1,000 records per hour.
- Token Sale (TNT ERC-20): Tierion conducted an ERC-20 token sale on July 27, 2017, raising over $25.35M USD from 5,500+ purchasers; tokens were distributed August 25, 2017. The token (TNT) functioned as the network's reward/incentive mechanism for Chainpoint Node operators. Tierion later settled with the SEC over this token sale, paying a $250,000 fine in December 2020.
- Enterprise Proof Product (Launching): Proof — Tierion's enterprise product — was positioned as launching soon with email signup for notification; intended to monetize enterprise use cases (audit trails, document timestamping, regulatory compliance, verifiable credentials) on top of the existing Chainpoint infrastructure.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | — | Proof for Business — launching soon; email signup only |
| Freemium | — | Free Hash API tier |
| Other | — | Chainpoint / Tierion API (free account registration) |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Tierion product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tierion provides a blockchain proof engine that anchors data hashes to the Bitcoin blockchain to produce independently verifiable cryptographic proofs of existence, integrity, and timestamp. Its two flagship offerings are Chainpoint, an open-standard developer platform with a Javascript client, CLI, Gateway REST API, and distributed Node network, and Proof, the commercial product for businesses needing tamper-evident audit trails without trusted third parties. The infrastructure scales to 100M+ proofs per day via CockroachDB and is supported by 5,000+ public Chainpoint Nodes.
Product overview
Tierion operates as a multi-product blockchain infrastructure platform rather than a single unified application. Its core offerings are split into two complementary products: Proof (for businesses needing user-friendly document and record certification) and Chainpoint (for developers requiring a programmable protocol and API to anchor data to the Bitcoin blockchain). These sit on top of supporting infrastructure including the Bitcoin Header Node (BHN) for verifying Bitcoin block headers and the Tierion Network Token (TNT) that powers the decentralized proof network. Tierion also extends into Lightning Network payment infrastructure through Boltwall, a middleware for Lightning payments, and LSATs (Lightning Service Authentication Tokens), an authentication mechanism that pairs with Boltwall to monetize API access via Lightning micropayments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Proof: Proof is Tierion's commercial product for businesses that lets organizations prove the integrity and timestamp of data without depending on a trusted third party, leveraging the Chainpoint Network.
- Chainpoint
Products and services
- Proof A business-facing product that enables organizations to create and verify blockchain-anchored proofs of data integrity, certifying documents and records using the Bitcoin blockchain, without depending on a trusted third party.
- Chainpoint A developer-facing open standard and global distributed network for anchoring data to the Bitcoin blockchain to create cryptographic timestamp proofs, with a JavaScript client library, CLI, Gateway REST API, and native availability on Microsoft Logic Apps and Microsoft Flow.
- Boltwall Open-source TypeScript middleware that adds Lightning Network payment paywall and time-restricted authorization to web applications, supporting OpenNode's API and serverless deployments via Zeit.
- LSATs (Lightning Service Authentication Tokens) An authentication mechanism built on the Lightning Network, co-developed with Lightning Labs, that combines Bitcoin Lightning micro-payments with macaroons and HTTP authorization headers for pseudonymous authentication without user accounts.
- Bitcoin Header Node (BHN) A lightweight Bitcoin node written in JavaScript (built with bcoin) that syncs and persists Bitcoin block headers in about an hour using approximately 30MB of disk space, enabling Chainpoint proof verification without a full Bitcoin node or third-party API.
- Hash API A high-throughput API for anchoring data hashes in the Bitcoin blockchain while keeping the underlying source data private; used to generate audit trails and tamper-evident proofs without exposing source content.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100M+ blockchain proofs generated per day via CockroachDB-backed Chainpoint Network
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Tierion
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Tierion technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature8 records
Tierion partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Cloudflare (League of Entropy)coreTierion joined the League of Entropy alongside Cloudflare and Protocol Labs to run drand, a distributed randomness beacon. On July 9, 2020 Chainpoint became the first live system to use drand, replacing the NIST Randomness Beacon in Chainpoint proofs.
- Protocol Labs (League of Entropy)coreTierion joined the League of Entropy alongside Cloudflare and Protocol Labs to run drand, a distributed randomness beacon now used by Chainpoint proofs.
- Lightning LabsflagshipTierion worked with Lightning Labs engineers to develop Lightning Service Authentication Tokens (LSATs), combining Bitcoin micro-payments over Lightning with HTTP, macaroons, and authorization headers for pseudonymous authentication. Open-source developer tools were released January 2020.
- Microsoft (Logic Apps & Flow)flagshipChainpoint launched on Microsoft Logic Apps and Microsoft Flow in February 2019, enabling developers to anchor data to Bitcoin when creating workflows between enterprise systems and applications including Salesforce, Office 365, Twitter, Dropbox, and Google services.
- XeroflagshipXero's API team has developed a project that uses Chainpoint to prove the integrity and timestamp of accounting data by anchoring it to the Bitcoin blockchain. Xero provides cloud-based accounting software to over 1.2 million customers in 180 countries.
- Cockroach LabsflagshipCockroach Labs invited Tierion's VP Engineering Glenn Rempe to present how the Chainpoint Network uses CockroachDB (open-source, horizontally scalable distributed SQL database) to scale to 100M+ blockchain proofs per day.
- LiaisonflagshipLiaison is using Tierion's blockchain proof engine to improve data security in healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, financial services, and other industries via its ALLOY cloud platform; serves 7,000+ customers in 46 countries.
- UltimuscoreUltimus integrated Tierion for blockchain digital process automation; serves thousands of organizations in over 80 countries via its BPM platform, enabling blockchain-anchored records for automated business processes.
- MicrosoftflagshipMicrosoft and Tierion are collaborating on a service that links data to the blockchain to prove data's integrity and existence; Tierion is used with Microsoft's decentralized identity initiative to generate verifiable attestations. Several enterprise customers are participating in pilots for data integrity to regulators and immutable audit trails.
- Pluralsight (hack.guides() 2016 Tutorial Contest)minorTierion sponsored $500 for the best Tierion API tutorial during Pluralsight's hack.guides() 2016 Tutorial Contest (alongside Uber Developer, Amazon Alexa, HelloSign, RethinkDB).
- Microsoft (Consensus 2016 Hackathon co-sponsor)minorCo-sponsor (with IBM, Deloitte, ConsenSys) of the Consensus 2016 Hackathon hosted at Microsoft's technology center in Times Square.
- IBM (Consensus 2016 Hackathon co-sponsor)minorCo-sponsor (with Microsoft, Deloitte, ConsenSys) of the Consensus 2016 Hackathon.
- Deloitte (Consensus 2016 Hackathon co-sponsor)minorCo-sponsor (with Microsoft, IBM, ConsenSys) of the Consensus 2016 Hackathon.
- ConsenSys (Consensus 2016 Hackathon co-sponsor)minorCo-sponsor (with Microsoft, IBM, Deloitte) of the Consensus 2016 Hackathon.
- State of ConnecticutcoreState of Connecticut engaged Tierion to survey Connecticut's top 200 technology companies — first government survey recorded in the Bitcoin blockchain (August 2015). Tierion generated blockchain receipts to verify the timestamp and content of each survey response.
- Philips (Blockchain Lab)flagshipTierion was the first partner in the Philips Blockchain Lab in 2015 — first company to complete a blockchain healthcare project through that lab. Tierion shared learnings in its 2016 'Blockchain Healthcare 2016 Report' after a year working with the world's largest healthcare and insurance companies.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Tierion competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- OpenTimestamps: OpenTimestamps is an open-source Bitcoin-anchored timestamping protocol and CLI/server stack developed by Peter Todd, offering comparable functionality to Chainpoint. Both anchor data hashes to Bitcoin, both rely on open standards and developer-led adoption, and both expose APIs for enterprise integrators.
- OriginStamp: OriginStamp is a free public timestamping service that anchors document hashes to the Bitcoin blockchain and offers an enterprise API, functionally identical to Tierion's Chainpoint and Hash API. It targets the same use cases (document timestamping, proof of existence, intellectual property protection) and competes head-to-head on price and developer experience.
- Factom: Factom built a blockchain protocol for creating immutable, time-stamped records of data, directly comparable to Tierion's Chainpoint proof engine. Both target enterprise audit trails and document integrity on public blockchains. Factom wound down its protocol in 2021, validating the difficulty of monetizing the category — a relevant cautionary and architectural analog for Tierion.
- Stampery (acquired by Prover): Stampery was a blockchain timestamping/certify startup that anchored proof of existence for emails and documents to Bitcoin and Ethereum; it was acquired by Prover to scale notarization services. It directly overlapped with Tierion's chain-anchored timestamping offering and represents an exit path for proof-engine startups.
- Guardtime (KSI Blockchain): Guardtime's KSI Blockchain is a commercial Keyless Signature Infrastructure platform providing industrial-scale data integrity and timestamping, frequently deployed in government, healthcare, and defense. It is the closest commercial-scale analog to Tierion's Proof/Chainpoint product, with a similar proof-of-existence and audit-trail value proposition for regulated enterprises.
Broad incumbents
- Microsoft Azure Blockchain Service: Microsoft Azure Blockchain Service (now retired but historically active) and Azure Confidential Ledger provide enterprise-grade immutable record-keeping that overlaps with Tierion's Proof product. Microsoft is simultaneously a Tierion partner (Logic Apps/Flow integration) and a competitor, making it the most strategically important broad incumbent in the space.
- IBM Blockchain Platform: IBM Blockchain Platform is a broad incumbent enterprise blockchain offering (Hyperledger Fabric, services, and industry solutions) that competes with Tierion's Proof for enterprise audit-trail and data-integrity use cases. Although IBM does not specialize in Bitcoin-anchored timestamping, its enterprise sales reach and regulated-industry deployments are a credible substitute for Tierion's value proposition.
- Amazon Managed Blockchain: Amazon Managed Blockchain provides managed Hyperledger Fabric and Ethereum networks for enterprise record-keeping, positioning AWS as a broad incumbent alternative to Tierion's Proof for enterprises that want immutability without integrating a separate specialized vendor.
- DocuSign (with Trust Service Provider capabilities): DocuSign's eSignature platform and Trust Service Provider compliance deliver tamper-evident document integrity and timestamping for regulated enterprises at massive scale. It is a broad incumbent that competes for the same audit/compliance budget Tierion's Proof targets, even though its trust model is centralized rather than blockchain-anchored.
Emerging players
- Numbers Protocol: Numbers Protocol builds a decentralized network for registering and verifying digital media provenance, using blockchain-anchored proofs similar in architecture to Tierion's Chainpoint. It is an emerging player focused on media/authenticity rather than enterprise audit, making it a thematic peer rather than a direct competitor for Tierion's enterprise Proof product.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Tierion social profiles
Digital presenceTierion financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tierion leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Tierion funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tierion M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tierion
What does Tierion do?
Tierion provides a blockchain proof engine that anchors data hashes to the Bitcoin blockchain to produce independently verifiable cryptographic proofs of existence, integrity, and timestamp. Its two flagship offerings are Chainpoint, an open-standard developer platform with a Javascript client, CLI, Gateway REST API, and distributed Node network, and Proof, the commercial product for businesses needing tamper-evident audit trails without trusted third parties. The infrastructure scales to 100M+ proofs per day via CockroachDB and is supported by 5,000+ public Chainpoint Nodes.
Is Tierion a public or private company?
Tierion is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Tierion founded?
Tierion was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Tierion based?
Tierion is headquartered in Mountain View, United States, in the North America region.
How does Tierion make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. API/Platform Service Fees are the primary driver. The others are token Sale (TNT ERC-20) and enterprise Proof Product (Launching).
Who are Tierion's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are OpenTimestamps, OriginStamp, Factom, Stampery (acquired by Prover) and Guardtime (KSI Blockchain). Broad incumbents are Microsoft Azure Blockchain Service, IBM Blockchain Platform, Amazon Managed Blockchain and DocuSign (with Trust Service Provider capabilities). Numbers Protocol is listed as an emerging player.
Does Tierion have an API?
Yes. Tierion offers public-facing APIs including the Chainpoint Gateway API for anchoring data to the Bitcoin blockchain and creating cryptographic proofs, as well as the Tierion Hash API and a general Tierion API referenced in its Terms of Service. The platform provides a JavaScript Chainpoint Client Library and a Chainpoint CLI, enabling developers to anchor data and build workflows that integrate with enterprise systems via Microsoft Logic Apps and Microsoft Flow. Developer documentation is at github.com/chainpoint/chainpoint-gateway/wiki/Gateway-HTTP-API.
What industry is Tierion in?
Tierion's product category is Blockchain Infrastructure / Blockchain Proof Engine. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAPAJAI, Regulatory Reporting, Tax & Audit Trails (reconciliation, provenance), with a secondary code of FSAPAAAI, Oracles, Data Feeds & Attestations (price feeds, randomness, proofs).