What Custos Media Technologies does

Custos Media Technologies is a privately held South African software company that provides blockchain-enabled forensic watermarking for digital content protection. Founded in 2013 as a spinout of the MIH Media Lab at Stellenbosch University, the company combines session-based 256-bit imperceptible forensic watermarks with cryptocurrency (Bitcoin) wallet bounties embedded in each copy. When a watermarked copy is distributed and the embedded wallet is emptied on the Bitcoin blockchain, the transaction reveals the recipient responsible for the leak. A decentralized network of bounty hunters then monitors online, offline, dark web, and private file-sharing environments to find leaked content and claim the embedded bounties, with the platform claiming to have reduced piracy by 99.97% in markets where deployed and to have protected over 3 million movies, ebooks, and documents cumulatively as of mid-2022.

The product portfolio is built around a single underlying technology stack exposed as modular SaaS, white-label, and API integrations. The Screener Copy product targets pre-release film and video distribution; Video Security and DRM offers API-based integration with existing VOD workflows; EdTech Content Protection integrates directly with the Moodle LMS for PDFs, ebooks, and videos; and Enterprise Document Security integrates with Enterprise Information Management systems for traceable confidential document sharing. Distribution is primarily through channel partners — Muvi (VOD platform with 500+ downstream customers), PreSoft Solutions (U.S. enterprise and government, IBM Integration Business Partner), Cyber Shield (exclusive Saudi Arabian reseller for education and enterprise), and EZDRM (multi-DRM partner demonstrated at IBC 2023) — supplemented by direct enterprise sales at industry events. Revenue is generated via subscription-based SaaS pricing with a quote-based enterprise sales process; no public pricing or revenue figures are disclosed. Investors include Digital Currency Group, Technology Innovation Agency, Innovus (Stellenbosch University tech transfer), Block.one's EOS VC Fund, and Zephyr Management.

Name

Custos Media Technologies

Legal name

Custos Media Technologies (RF) (Pty) Ltd.

Website

https://custostech.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Custos Media Technologies provides blockchain-enabled forensic watermarking SaaS that embeds unique, recipient-identifying watermarks with Bitcoin bounty incentives into digital content, enabling global leak detection for film studios, EdTech platforms, and enterprises sharing sensitive documents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Content Protection Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (513210), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)

akta.pro primary industry

Leak Detection & Source Attribution (Fingerprint Matching, Subscriber/Partner Tracing) (MPAHAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Forensic Watermarking (Session/User Watermarking, Payload Design) (MPAHAMAA), Watermarking (Forensic/Visible) & Traceability (MPAHALAL), Content Authenticity, Watermarking & Deepfake Detection (HDAAAKAK)

Keywords

• Digital content protection
• Forensic watermarking software
• Blockchain anti-piracy
• Video DRM solutions
• Enterprise document security

Headquarters

HQ city

Stellenbosch

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. SaaS Platform Subscriptions: Custos operates primarily as a SaaS platform providing content protection as a service. Customers pay for access to the platform's watermarking, blockchain tracking, and distribution capabilities. Pricing is subscription-based and integrates into existing workflows via API.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Custos Media Technologies provides a SaaS platform that combines patented forensic watermarking with Bitcoin-blockchain tracking to protect digital media (video, audio, ebooks, documents) from piracy and unauthorized redistribution. The platform embeds an imperceptible 256-bit watermark containing a unique Bitcoin wallet into each distributed copy and uses a decentralized network of bounty hunters who claim embedded cryptocurrency bounties to identify leak sources. It is delivered via turnkey SaaS, white-label, or API integration into existing VOD, LMS (Moodle), and Enterprise Information Management workflows.

Product overview

Custos Media Technologies offers a modular platform of content protection products built on patented blockchain-based forensic watermarking combined with cryptocurrency bounty incentives for decentralized leak detection. The core technology — Custos Core Technology / Blockchain Tracking — embeds unique imperceptible watermarks with cryptocurrency incentives into content copies, enabling rapid trace-back of piracy sources globally. The product portfolio consists of ScreenerCopy Protection (the primary SaaS solution for secure content distribution), Video Security and DRM (API-based forensic watermarking for VOD workflows), EdTech Content Protection (with direct Moodle LMS plugin integration), and Enterprise Document Security (with EIM system integration). All solutions leverage the same underlying blockchain tracking technology and forensic watermarking infrastructure. Content owners and distributors across four continents use the platform to protect video, audio, ebooks, and sensitive documents from piracy and data leaks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Screener Copy: A SaaS solution for protecting content with turnkey video distribution and anti-piracy protection.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully reduced movie piracy from 60% to 0.06% in markets where deployed
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability5 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Cyber Shield DistributioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 June 2023Exclusive reseller agreement in Saudi Arabia covering education and enterprise sectors. Cyber Shield is a prominent cybersecurity company specializing in comprehensive security solutions and services. The partnership enhances Custos' document security offerings in the Saudi Arabian market for education and enterprise customers.
• MuvicoreTechnology or IntegrationMuvi is an end-to-end streaming platform serving leading film studios, TV networks, and independent content owners. As Custos' VOD Platform Integration Partner, Muvi integrates Custos' forensic watermarking and blockchain tracking into its streaming platform, offering enhanced content protection to its 500+ customers.
• PreSoft SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationPreSoft is a leading IT company based in Atlanta, GA focused on cyber security, cloud, mobility, and digital media piracy protection. As Custos' U.S. integration partner, PreSoft provides custom solutions and services including Custos' anti-piracy blockchain solution to commercial, government, and health IT customers. PreSoft is an IBM Integration Business Partner.
• MIH Media Lab (Stellenbosch University)coreOthersCustos was spun out of the MIH Media Lab at Stellenbosch University in 2013. The underlying technology was invented by an experienced cross-disciplinary team at the lab specializing in signal processing, distribution systems, cryptocurrency, machine learning, and media and behavioural economics.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Irdeto: Irdeto is a long-established content security and DRM vendor serving pay-TV operators, OTT platforms, and film studios. It competes head-on with Custos in pre-release and VOD content protection but offers a much broader portfolio (DRM, conditional access, anti-piracy services), making it the principal broad incumbent against which Custos is measured.
• NAGRA (Kudelski Group): NAGRA is the content security and media intelligence arm of Kudelski, offering forensic watermarking, DRM, and anti-piracy services to studios, broadcasters and sports leagues. Its broader portfolio and longstanding Hollywood relationships make it a direct comparison point for Custos's film-industry use cases.
• Verimatrix: Verimatrix provides DRM, forensic watermarking (Streamkeeper / Counterspy) and content security to streaming operators, with both on-premise and cloud deployment. It overlaps directly with Custos on forensic watermarking and anti-piracy for VOD but sells into a broader enterprise tier.
• Synamedia: Synamedia (formerly Cisco's Service Provider Video Technology Group) offers content protection, video infrastructure and anti-piracy intelligence to operators and rights holders. Its security portfolio overlaps with Custos's screener and VOD use cases at a much larger scale.

Direct peers

• Friend MTS: Friend MTS specializes in content security, forensic watermarking and piracy monitoring for sports, broadcasters, and OTT. It is a close direct peer to Custos on the anti-piracy monitoring and source-attribution workflow, and competes for the same studio and rights-holder budgets.
• Pex: Pex operates an audio and video content identification platform that scans the open internet (including uploads, social platforms, and UGC) to detect matches against a rights-holder catalog and surface infringement claims. It is comparable to Custos in the leak-detection / source-attribution layer, though focused on UGC platforms rather than pre-release leaks.
• Audible Magic: Audible Magic provides content identification (audio fingerprinting and video recognition) used by UGC platforms, broadcasters and music rights holders to detect copyrighted material. It overlaps with Custos on the identification-and-trace side of the value chain, though historically centered on audio.
• Digimarc: Digimarc is a long-standing digital watermarking vendor with applications across media, packaging and retail. It is a direct peer in the underlying watermarking/IP layer that Custos builds on, though Digimarc's footprint is broader and less focused on blockchain-based leak attribution.

Others

• EZDRM: EZDRM is a managed multi-DRM service provider for streaming operators, integrating PlayReady, Widevine and FairPlay. It is a Custos partner (jointly demonstrated at IBC 2023) and an adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor, since EZDRM addresses the encryption/DRM layer while Custos layers forensic watermarking on top.
• Muvi: Muvi is an end-to-end OTT / streaming platform provider whose customers can optionally enable Custos watermarking and blockchain tracking. As a partner and platform-distribution channel rather than a content-security competitor, it is an ecosystem peer comparable to Custos only at the integration level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CustosTech
• Facebookfacebook.com/custostech
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/custos-technologies
• Instagraminstagram.com/custostech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds7 records

Investors8 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Custos Media Technologies