Binded
Binded provided a cloud-based copyright protection platform for photographers and visual creators, using Bitcoin blockchain fingerprinting for image registration and offering 24/7 monitoring with automated global takedown notices. The company was acquired by Pixsy Inc in September 2019.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Binded does
Binded was a cloud-based copyright protection platform that served professional and amateur photographers and visual creators. The platform enabled users to upload images to a private copyright vault, register each image by generating a unique fingerprint saved permanently to the Bitcoin blockchain as immutable proof of ownership, and continuously monitor the internet for unauthorized use of their work. When infringements were detected, Binded automatically issued legally binding takedown notices to offending sites or hosts, translated into 14 languages and covering 35 countries. The platform also offered US Copyright Office registration assistance and connected users to professional case managers and law firm partners for revenue recovery from infringement cases.
The company operated a self-serve, product-led go-to-market model targeting individual creators and small creative businesses. Distribution was driven by integrations with Instagram and Twitter, organic social channels, and earned media coverage in publications including TechCrunch, Fstoppers, TNW, The Art Newspaper, and Peta Pixel. The business monetized through a combination of subscription-based copyright protection services and outcome-based revenue recovery fees on successfully resolved infringement cases, with a free account tier available to lower the barrier to adoption. Binded was founded around 2017 (per the website copyright notice and company history), raised approximately $1.5 million across early funding rounds between 2016 and 2017, and was acquired by Pixsy Inc in September 2019, with the platform shut down and migrated to Pixsy.com on September 30, 2019.
Binded firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Binded
- Legal name
- Binded, Inc.
- Website
- https://binded.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Binded provided a cloud-based copyright protection platform for photographers and visual creators, using Bitcoin blockchain fingerprinting for image registration and offering 24/7 monitoring with automated global takedown notices. The company was acquired by Pixsy Inc in September 2019.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Binded industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Copyright Protection Software
- akta.pro primary industry
- Rights Enforcement & Anti-Piracy (Claims, Takedowns, Litigation Support) (MPAIABAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Digital Rights Management & Content Protection (DRM, watermarking) (MPAJAMAH), Creator Licensing & Rights Monetization (UGC Licensing, Music/Video Rights) (MPACAFAK)
Keywords
Where Binded is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Binded business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Copyright Protection Services: Subscription-based service providing copyright registration, monitoring, takedown, and revenue recovery services for creative professionals. The platform offered a free account option with premium features available through Pixsy after acquisition.
- Revenue Recovery: Case management service to recover lost revenue when businesses use images without permission. Pixsy's expert case managers and law firms handle every step to get creators paid.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Binded product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Binded operated a cloud-based copyright protection platform that allowed image creators to upload photographs to a private vault, register their copyrights by generating unique fingerprints stored permanently on the Bitcoin blockchain, monitor the internet for unauthorized image use 24/7, and issue automated legally binding takedown notices translated into 14 languages across 35 countries. The service also supported US Copyright Office registration and revenue recovery via case managers and law firm partnerships.
Product overview
Binded was a single unified cloud-based platform providing copyright protection services for creative professionals. Its core offering consisted of a private image vault with blockchain-based copyright registration, 24/7 internet monitoring with instant alerts, and automatic worldwide takedown notice delivery translated into 14 languages. The platform was acquired by Pixsy Inc. in September 2019 and the service was discontinued.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Binded Copyright Protection Platform A self-serve, web-based copyright protection platform for professional and amateur photographers and visual creators that combined a private image vault, blockchain-based copyright fingerprinting, 24/7 image monitoring with instant alerts, automated takedown notices in 14 languages covering 35 countries, and revenue recovery case management.
Quantifiable outcome
- Takedown notices available in 14 languages covering 35 countries
Companies that use Binded
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Binded technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature4 records
Binded partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Pixsy InccoreBinded was acquired by Pixsy Inc in September 2019. The Binded platform was migrated to Pixsy.com and the service was shut down on September 30, 2019. Pixsy continues to offer the core features of Binded plus additional features for creatives. All Binded user data, images, and registrations were transferred to Pixsy.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Binded competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Copytrack: Copytrack offers global image copyright registration, monitoring, and enforcement services, including automated detection of unlicensed image use and legal follow-up — a near-functional analog to Binded with international scope.
- Pixsy: Pixsy is the most direct peer and the company that ultimately acquired Binded. It offers image copyright monitoring, automated takedown notices, and revenue recovery for photographers worldwide — overlapping almost completely with Binded's product surface.
- ImageRights: ImageRights provides image copyright registration, online infringement monitoring, and paid enforcement services for photographers and agencies. Closely comparable in customer base (photographers) and workflow (register → monitor → pursue).
Broad incumbents
- Shutterstock: Shutterstock operates a stock image marketplace and contributor licensing infrastructure, with internal rights enforcement and contributor-protection workflows that parallel Binded's value proposition at platform scale.
- Getty Images: Getty Images operates one of the largest image-licensing platforms and runs an aggressive legal team for copyright enforcement against unauthorized use. It is a broad incumbent in the image-rights enforcement space, serving its own catalog rather than individual creators.
- Audible Magic: Audible Magic is an established content identification and rights administration vendor focused on audio, with adjacent technology for image and video fingerprinting — comparable as an incumbent provider of content-ID infrastructure.
- Digimarc: Digimarc provides digital watermarking and content identification technology used for media protection and rights enforcement across print, images, and packaging — a broader incumbent in the underlying content-authentication layer Binded built on.
- Adobe Stock: Adobe Stock is a major stock image platform with contributor licensing and rights-management capabilities embedded in the broader Creative Cloud ecosystem — comparable as a broad incumbent with adjacent rights-enforcement tooling.
Emerging players
- Pex: Pex provides content identification and rights enforcement infrastructure primarily for audio and video, but its fingerprinting and licensing analytics platform is technically and commercially comparable to Binded's image-rights stack.
- Digiprove: Digiprove provides digital timestamping and proof-of-creation services for a range of digital media, using blockchain-anchored certificates — a smaller, more horizontal analog to Binded's blockchain-fingerprinting approach.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Binded social profiles
Digital presenceBinded financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Binded leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Binded funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors9 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Binded 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 Binded
What does Binded do?
Binded operated a cloud-based copyright protection platform that allowed image creators to upload photographs to a private vault, register their copyrights by generating unique fingerprints stored permanently on the Bitcoin blockchain, monitor the internet for unauthorized image use 24/7, and issue automated legally binding takedown notices translated into 14 languages across 35 countries. The service also supported US Copyright Office registration and revenue recovery via case managers and law firm partnerships.
Is Binded a public or private company?
Binded is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Binded founded?
Binded was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Binded based?
Binded is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Binded make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Copyright Protection Services are the primary driver. The others are revenue Recovery.
Who are Binded's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Copytrack, Pixsy and ImageRights. Broad incumbents are Shutterstock, Getty Images, Audible Magic, Digimarc and Adobe Stock. Emerging players are Pex and Digiprove.
Does Binded have an API?
No public API is recorded for Binded.
What industry is Binded in?
Binded's product category is Copyright Protection Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIABAK, Rights Enforcement & Anti-Piracy (Claims, Takedowns, Litigation Support), with a secondary code of MPAJAMAH, Digital Rights Management & Content Protection (DRM, watermarking).