Pocket Change
Pocket Change operates ~80 multi-currency exchange kiosks across Japan that convert foreign coins and bills into electronic money and vouchers, serving inbound international tourists and outbound Japanese travelers through airports, stations, malls, and travel agencies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Pocket Change does
Pocket Change Inc. is a Tokyo-headquartered fintech founded in 2015 that operates a network of approximately 80 self-service multi-currency exchange kiosks across Japan, primarily at airports (Haneda, Narita, Kansai, Chubu Centrair), JR stations, shopping malls, travel agencies, and entertainment venues. The kiosks accept foreign coins and bills from up to 10 currencies (including USD, EUR, CNY, KRW) and convert them in a single transaction into Japanese e-money (Suica, Rakuten Edy, WAON, nanaco), gift cards (Amazon Japan), or international digital wallets (PayPal, WeChat Pay, United MileagePlus) — with no personal information, ID, or paperwork required from the user, and a multilingual interface covering English, Japanese, Simplified/Traditional Chinese, and Korean.
The company's core technology is vertically integrated proprietary hardware and software, with backend built on CommonLisp/SBCL running on AWS, and frontend in ReactJS/ReactNative against PostgreSQL. In 2023, Pocket Change productized its underlying electronic money issuance engine as a standalone B2B platform called Pokepay, which lets any organization issue and manage branded e-money through a web dashboard and app-based wallet, with payment integration APIs and physical charging hardware.
Pocket Change monetizes through transaction fees on each kiosk exchange, with rates calculated at the moment of transaction based on real-time FX rates, destination service, currency, and location. The company has raised capital from East Japan Railway, DG Ventures, DNX Ventures, Global Brain, and DG Daiwa Ventures, holds ISO 27001 information-security certification, received the 2018 Good Design Award, and continues to expand its physical footprint into regional Japan. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.
Pocket Change firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pocket Change
- Legal name
- 株式会社ポケットチェンジ
- Website
- https://pocket-change.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Pocket Change operates ~80 multi-currency exchange kiosks across Japan that convert foreign coins and bills into electronic money and vouchers, serving inbound international tourists and outbound Japanese travelers through airports, stations, malls, and travel agencies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pocket Change industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Currency Exchange Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- International / Multi-Currency Wallets (FSAMAEAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Alternative Payments & Digital Wallet Acceptance (A2A, RTP, wallets) (THALAHAH)
Keywords
Where Pocket Change is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pocket Change business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Currency Exchange Transaction Fees: Revenue generated from exchange fees when users convert foreign currency to electronic money or vouchers at kiosks. Exchange rates are calculated based on real-time rates at the moment of transaction.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard exchange service with variable rates |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Pocket Change product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pocket Change operates a network of self-service multi-currency exchange kiosks installed across Japan at airports, train stations, shopping centers, and travel agencies. These kiosks convert leftover foreign coins and bills (10 currencies supported) into electronic money formats and vouchers from partners including Suica, Rakuten Edy, WAON, nanaco, Amazon gift cards, PayPal, and WeChat, without requiring personal information entry. The company also offers Pokepay, a separate platform enabling organizations to issue their own branded electronic money.
Product overview
Pocket Change Inc. operates a dual-product portfolio centered on currency exchange and electronic money infrastructure. The core product is the Pocket Change kiosk terminal — a multi-currency exchange machine installed at airports, stations, and commercial facilities across Japan that converts leftover foreign coins and bills into electronic money (Suica, Rakuten Edy, WAON, nanaco, Amazon gift cards, and dozens of international vouchers). The company also offers Pokepay, a separate platform that enables organizations to issue their own branded electronic money, manage balances via a web console, integrate payments into custom apps, and provide hardware for physical coin/bill-to-digital currency charging. The two products share backend technology (CommonLisp/SBCL on AWS) and a vertically integrated development approach covering hardware, software, and operations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Pokepay: An electronic money issuance platform that allows anyone to create original e-money (house money) and payment systems. Users can manage money through a web dashboard and integrate payment systems into their own applications.
Products and services
- Pocket Change Kiosk Terminal Self-service multi-currency exchange kiosk that allows travelers to convert leftover foreign currency (coins and bills) into electronic money formats and gift cards. Users insert foreign cash, select their desired e-money or voucher, and receive a code or direct top-up. No personal information is required.
- Pokepay Electronic money issuance platform that enables any organization to create and issue their own original electronic money (house money). Includes app-based wallet, web management console, and hardware for charging from coins and bills.
Quantifiable outcome
- Each transaction only takes a few minutes
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Pocket Change
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Pocket Change technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Pocket Change partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- JTB Kawagoe Claire MallcoreJTB travel agency at Kawagoe Claire Mall in Saitama Prefecture hosts a Pocket Change kiosk terminal. This is the sixth installation in Saitama Prefecture and first in the Kawagoe area, enabling travelers and local residents to exchange foreign currency.
- Suica (JR East)coreRechargeable contactless smart card accepted at the kiosk. Users can top-up Suica cards directly by touching them on the kiosk reader.
- Rakuten EdycoreRakuten Edy prepaid e-money card accepted for top-up via kiosk. Max/Min amount: 1 - 25000 JPY.
- WAONcoreAEON group's prepaid e-money service available as exchange destination. Max/Min amount: 1 - 29000 JPY.
- nanacocoreSeven & i group's non-contact e-money service available as exchange destination. Max/Min amount: 1 - 30000 JPY.
- Amazon Japan Gift CertificatescoreAmazon.co.jp Gift Certificate vouchers available as exchange destination. Max/Min amount: 100 - 30000 JPY. Currently unavailable, expected to resume June 16, 2026.
- United Airlines MileagePluscoreMileagePlus loyalty program miles exchange available. Currency: USD, Max/Min: 10 - 150. Rate: USD0.35=10miles.
- UNICEFminorCharitable partner allowing users to donate exchanged currency value. Accepts all currencies including unsupported ones for coins, and supported currencies for bills.
- PayPalcoreInternational e-money payment platform available as exchange destination.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Pocket Change competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- MoneyGram: MoneyGram provides cross-border money transfer and currency services through a global agent network, comparable to Pocket Change in the FX and cross-border payment domain but operating at a much larger incumbent scale.
- Western Union: Western Union operates a global cross-border money transfer and currency exchange network with retail agent locations, broadly comparable to Pocket Change in FX services but with a much larger retail footprint and remittance focus.
- PayPay: PayPay is Japan's dominant QR-code mobile payment platform owned by SoftBank/Z Holdings; it operates as a broad incumbent in the Japanese digital wallet space where Pocket Change is a niche e-money acceptance and issuance player.
- Rakuten Pay / Rakuten Edy: Rakuten Edy is one of Pocket Change's largest e-money destination partners and Rakuten Pay operates Japan's broader payment ecosystem; Rakuten represents a broad incumbent that could choose to vertically integrate kiosk-based FX in the future.
Emerging players
- Wise (formerly TransferWise): Wise offers multi-currency digital wallets and FX services targeting travelers and cross-border consumers, representing a digital-only alternative to Pocket Change's physical kiosk model for currency conversion and spending.
- Revolut: Revolut is a multi-currency digital wallet app offering FX, payments, and travel-oriented financial services, comparable to Pocket Change in solving multi-currency pain points but via a mobile-first delivery model.
Others
- Currencies Direct: Currencies Direct is an FX and international payments specialist serving consumers and businesses; it is thematically adjacent to Pocket Change in the broader currency exchange infrastructure space without directly competing at travel-hub kiosks.
Direct peers
- Travelex: Travelex operates foreign currency exchange counters and kiosks at major airports globally and in Japan, directly competing with Pocket Change at Haneda, Narita, and Kansai by offering physical FX services to travelers.
- Coinstar / Coinme: Coinstar operates self-service coin-counting kiosks (and increasingly crypto exchange via Coinme) using similar physical self-service architecture, language-free touch UX, and a network-of-kiosks business model analogous to Pocket Change.
- JPY Shop: JPY Shop is a Japanese digital service that lets inbound tourists convert leftover yen to PayPal, Alipay, and other e-money balances, directly targeting the same inbound-tourist pain point that Pocket Change solves via its kiosks.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Pocket Change social profiles
Digital presencePocket Change compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Pocket Change financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pocket Change leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Pocket Change subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Pocket Change funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pocket Change 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 Pocket Change
What does Pocket Change do?
Pocket Change operates a network of self-service multi-currency exchange kiosks installed across Japan at airports, train stations, shopping centers, and travel agencies. These kiosks convert leftover foreign coins and bills (10 currencies supported) into electronic money formats and vouchers from partners including Suica, Rakuten Edy, WAON, nanaco, Amazon gift cards, PayPal, and WeChat, without requiring personal information entry. The company also offers Pokepay, a separate platform enabling organizations to issue their own branded electronic money.
Is Pocket Change a public or private company?
Pocket Change is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Pocket Change founded?
Pocket Change was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Pocket Change based?
Pocket Change is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Pocket Change make money?
One revenue line is on record: currency Exchange Transaction Fees.
Who are Pocket Change's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are MoneyGram, Western Union, PayPay and Rakuten Pay / Rakuten Edy. Emerging players are Wise (formerly TransferWise) and Revolut. Currencies Direct is listed as an others. Direct peers are Travelex, Coinstar / Coinme and JPY Shop.
Does Pocket Change have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pocket Change.
What industry is Pocket Change in?
Pocket Change's product category is Currency Exchange Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAMAEAL, International / Multi-Currency Wallets, with a secondary code of THALAHAH, Alternative Payments & Digital Wallet Acceptance (A2A, RTP, wallets).