Black Card

What Black Card does

Luxury Card (ラグジュアリーカード), formerly Black Card Inc. through November 2025, is a Japan-anchored premium metal credit card issuer founded in the United States in 2008 by Scott Blom and operating in Japan since 2016. The company offers a four-tier metal card portfolio — Titanium (¥55,000/year), Black (¥110,000/year), Gold (¥220,000/year), and the invitation-only Black Diamond — issued under the Mastercard World Elite designation through licensed issuer Aplus Co., Ltd. (SBI Shinsei Bank Group). All cards carry proprietary metal craftsmanship protected by 80+ global patents (vertical format, palladium-coated compact IC chip, laser-engraved numbers, brushed stainless steel or PVD-coated finishes, including 24K gold and Japan-exclusive rose gold). Cardholders earn 1.0–1.5% cashback-equivalent points on all transactions — including mobile payments, public utilities, and tax payments — with unlimited, fee-free mileage exchange into JAL, ANA, and United programs, plus Priority Pass Prestige access, status matches across 5,000+ global hotel properties, dining privileges at 250+ partner restaurants, and 24/7 concierge across phone, email, and LINE.

The business model is anchored on recurring annual membership fees, supplemented by interchange revenue, supplementary/family card fees, and co-branded card licensing for products such as JAL Luxury Card (¥242,000) and the Racehorse Owners Mastercard (¥143,000). Pricing is fully disclosed publicly; an alternative deposit-type card structure allows members to pre-fund up to ¥99.9 million to self-set credit limits. Distribution combines a digital self-serve application flow via the Aplus platform (10-minute application, 5-business-day issuance), a dedicated enterprise sales team for corporate/法人 clients, and a community-led growth motion anchored by LC Circle (member-only online community), LC Market Place (free B2C promotion among corporate members), and curated Social Hour and signature events.

According to company-stated member demographics, approximately 67% of members are business owners or corporate executives, average member income is roughly 5.4x the Japanese national average, and average per-card transaction value is about 15x that of general credit card users. The company is privately held with no disclosed investors or funding rounds, has a small employee base of 11–50, and operates across Japan (operating HQ, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), the United States (foundational HQ), and China (issuance began 2018). No consolidated revenue or financial statements are publicly disclosed.

Name

Black Card

Legal name

ラグジュアリーカード合同会社

Website

https://luxurycard.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Luxury Card (ラグジュアリーカード) is a Japan-anchored premium metal credit card issuer offering a four-tier Mastercard World Elite portfolio (Titanium, Black, Gold, Black Diamond) serving high-net-worth individuals and business owners with metal cards, concierge services, exclusive travel/dining privileges, and a proprietary member community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Credit Cards

NAICS

Credit Card Issuing (522210), Credit Card Issuing (52221)

SIC

Personal Credit Institutions (6141)

akta.pro primary industry

Rewards & Loyalty Credit Cards (FSAKABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Commercial & Corporate Card Schemes (FSAMAAAF), Co-Branded Credit Card Partnerships (Issuers/Networks) (THABAKAD), International / Global Card Schemes (FSAMAAAD)

Keywords

• Premium credit cards
• Metal credit cards
• Luxury payment cards
• Card concierge services
• Card rewards programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Primary Card Annual Membership Fees: Annual membership fees charged to primary cardholders. Higher-tier cards command significantly higher fees (Gold: ¥220,000, Black: ¥110,000, Titanium: ¥55,000) reflecting the premium metal materials, exclusive benefits, and high-value concierge services provided.
2. Family/Supplementary Card Fees: Annual fees charged for family cards and supplementary cards (ETC cards, additional primary cards up to 4 employees for corporate).
3. Interchange Fees from Card Transactions: Revenue generated from interchange fees on card transactions. Members earn 1.0-1.5% cashback/points, with the remaining spread on interchange revenue contributing to card economics. Mobile Suica, public utility payments, and tax payments all qualify for full point accumulation, driving higher transaction volumes.
4. Co-branded Card Licensing: Revenue from co-branded card programs such as JAL Luxury Card and Racehorse Owners Mastercard, where partner brands pay licensing fees for Luxury Card's premium infrastructure and member base.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Black Card / LUXURY CARD issues and operates a portfolio of premium metal Mastercard World Elite credit cards in Japan — Titanium, Black, Gold, and invitation-only Black Diamond tiers — together with a deposit-backed card variant, a corporate settlement card, and co-branded programs with Japan Airlines (JAL Luxury Card) and Hokkaido Market (Racehorse Owners Mastercard). The cards are paired with a high-reward loyalty program (up to 1.5% cashback with no exclusions on mobile payments, public utilities, or tax payments and unlimited fee-free mileage exchange to JAL/ANA/United), 24/7 concierge, Priority Pass Prestige lounge access, hotel/dining privileges, and proprietary community features (LC Circle, LC Market Place).

Product overview

Luxury Card (ラグジュアリーカード) is a portfolio of metal credit cards issued in Japan under the Mastercard World Elite brand, operated by Luxury Card合同会社 (formerly Black Card I株式会社). The product suite centers on four metal credit card tiers — Mastercard Titanium Card (entry, 1.0% cashback, ¥55,000/year), Mastercard Black Card (mid-tier, 1.25% cashback, ¥110,000/year), Mastercard Gold Card (premium, 1.5% cashback, ¥220,000/year), and the invitation-only Mastercard Black Diamond (highest tier) — all featuring proprietary metal craftsmanship with over 80 patents, a compact palladium IC chip, and carbon fiber backs. The portfolio extends through two card variants (Deposit-Type and Corporate Payment), a co-branded JAL Luxury Card family (including an invitation-only Limited tier), and the Racehorse Owners Mastercard. All cards share a unified loyalty platform (Rewards Program with JAL/ANA/United unlimited mileage exchange), 24/7 concierge services (phone, email, LINE for Black+), travel benefits (Priority Pass, 5,000+ hotel properties, Status Match programs), dining privileges (Luxury Limousine, Luxury Dining by LC, Luxury Icons), insurance coverage, lifestyle perks (movie tickets, art museums, Luxury Wellness, GILT shopping, KIDSNA childcare), and community features (LC Circle online platform, Social Hour events, LC Market Place). Card issuance is via Aplus (SBI新生銀行グループ), with availability as both standard credit and deposit-backed cards (¥300,000–¥99.9M limits).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mastercard Gold Card: 24K gold-coated metal premium credit card with 1.5% point reward rate and annual fee of ¥220,000.
• Mastercard Black Card
• Mastercard Titanium Card
• Mastercard Black Diamond
• JAL Luxury Card
• JAL Luxury Card Limited
• Racehorse Owners Mastercard Black Card
• LC Circle
• LCシグネチャー

Products and services

• Mastercard Titanium Card Entry-level metal credit card with brushed stainless steel surface, 1.0% point-earning rate (2 points per ¥200 spent), and full access to Priority Pass airport lounges, 5,000+ hotel privileges, dining benefits, and concierge services. Annual fee ¥55,000 (tax incl.). Available for both personal and corporate use.
• Mastercard Black Card Mid-tier metal credit card with matte black PVD-coated surface, carbon-fiber back, 1.25% effective point-earning rate, LINE-enabled concierge chat, one-way limousine pickup to dining partners, up to 2 free movie tickets/month, and National Art Museum free admission (Fridays only). Annual fee ¥110,000 (tax incl.).
• Mastercard Gold Card Flagship metal credit card coated in 24K gold (or Japan-exclusive rose gold), with 1.5% point-earning rate (3 points per ¥200), priority access to exclusive events, highest-tier hotel status matching (e.g., Preferred Hotels Titanium), round-trip limousine to dining partners, up to 3 free movie tickets/month, National Art Museum free admission any day, and personal liability insurance up to ¥100 million. Annual fee ¥220,000 (tax incl.).
• Mastercard Black Diamond Invitation-only top-tier metal card, each hand-polished with genuine black diamonds set into the metal surface. Maximum point redemption rate up to 2%, hotel stay gifts, and access to the exclusive Black Diamond President's Reception and other bespoke experiences. Annual fee not publicly disclosed.
• Deposit-Type Credit Card (デポジット型クレジットカード) Deposit-backed metal credit card variant available across all standard card tiers. Members pre-deposit between ¥300,000 and ¥99,900,000 (in ¥100,000 increments) to set their own credit limit, bypassing credit-review-based limits. Includes the same annual fees and benefits as the standard Luxury Card tier. Cannot use temporary limit increases, cash advance, or advance deposit service.
• Corporate Payment Card (法人決算用カード) Business-focused metal credit card variant for corporate/法人 use, supporting up to ¥99,900,000 monthly spending, cloud accounting software integrations (Yayoi Kaikei, MoneyForward), invoice-based payment processing, tax and social insurance payments, and up to 53-day payment deferral for cash-flow management. Up to 4 employee supplementary cards permitted.
• JAL Luxury Card Co-branded premium metal credit card with Japan Airlines offering accelerated JAL mileage accumulation, FLY ON status privileges, and full Luxury Card benefits. Annual fee ¥242,000 (tax incl.).
• JAL Luxury Card Limited Invitation-only top-tier co-branded metal credit card with Japan Airlines offering maximum JAL mileage earning rates and exclusive benefits. Annual fee ¥599,500 (tax incl.).
• Racehorse Owners Mastercard Black Card Invitation-only co-branded metal black card exclusively for racehorse owners registered with the Hokkaido Market (Hidaka Racehorse Owners Agricultural Cooperative / 日高軽種馬農業協同組合北海道市場). Benefits include racehorse sale payment processing at Hokkaido Market auctions and owner lounge access. Annual fee ¥143,000 (tax incl.).

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core, key, niche and minor.

• 株式会社アプラス (Aplus Co., Ltd.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAplus Co., Ltd. (a subsidiary of SBI新生銀行グループ / SBI Shinsei Bank Group) is the issuing entity for all Luxury Card products in Japan. Aplus handles card issuance, payment processing, billing operations, customer data management, and customer support. All card applications are submitted through Aplus's online platform. Aplus also manages the My APLUS portal for point balance inquiries and manages personal data requests. The partnership is the foundational infrastructure of Luxury Card's Japan operations.
• Mastercard InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxury Card is the exclusive issuer of World Elite Mastercard in Japan. The partnership grants Luxury Card the right to issue the world's highest-status Mastercard tier on its metal cards. Luxury Card was the first in Japan to adopt World Elite Mastercard on a metal vertical-format card. All Luxury Cards carry the Mastercard brand and acceptance network. The partnership also includes co-marketing with Mastercard brand ambassador Lionel Messi.
• JAL (日本航空株式会社)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerJAL Luxury Card is a co-branded premium airline card program with two tiers: JAL Luxury Card (¥242,000/year) and JAL Luxury Card Limited, invitation-only (¥599,500/year). The card features a JAL crane logo diamond-cut into the metal surface, enhanced FLY ON point accumulation, JAL status privileges, and all standard Luxury Card benefits. This is one of two co-branded Luxury Card products in the market.
• 日高軽種馬農業協同組合 北海道市場 (Hokkaido Horseracing Market)nicheStrategic or Co-development PartnerRacehorse Owners Mastercard is a co-branded card exclusively for racehorse owners registered with the Hokkaido Market. Annual fee is ¥143,000. Benefits include racehorse sale payment processing at Hokkaido Market auctions and premium lifestyle services tailored to the horse racing industry. This is the second co-branded Luxury Card product.
• Priority PasskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll Luxury Card tiers include complimentary Priority Pass Prestige membership (valued at $469 USD/year), providing unlimited access to 1,800+ airport lounges across 148 countries and 600+ cities. Members receive free dining and spa access at many lounges. Family card holders also receive free access; companions pay $35/person.
• Global Hotel Partners (5,000+ properties)keyGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury Card partners with over 5,000 hotel properties globally to provide members with room upgrades, complimentary breakfast for 2, late checkout, welcome amenities, and hotel credits averaging ¥70,000 (500 USD) per stay. Partner chains include The Ritz-Carlton, Hyatt, Mandarin Oriental, Aman, Tokyu Hotels, ANA InterContinental, and many others. This benefit is a primary driver of member acquisition and retention.
• Tokyu Hotels (東急ホテルズ)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerTokyu Hotels Comfort Members program provides complimentary status upgrades to Luxury Card members: Gold Card gets Diamond status, Black Card gets Platinum status, Titanium Card gets Platinum status. Enables Luxury Card members to enjoy preferential treatment across all Tokyu Hotels properties in Japan.
• Preferred Hotels & ResortskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxury Card members receive complimentary I Prefer Hotel Rewards top-tier Titanium status (normally requiring significant stay history) along with 25,000 bonus points upon first completed stay. Preferred Hotels operates 650+ properties in 80 countries as the world's largest independent hotel brand.
• SLH (Small Luxury Hotels of the World)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxury Card provides members with unconditional INVITED loyalty program status in SLH, which includes 540+ independent luxury hotels across 90+ countries. No stay requirements needed — Luxury Card membership alone grants status.
• HoteLux (ホテルラックス)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxury Card provides complimentary Elite Plus membership (valued at $499/year ≈ ¥75,000) in the HoteLux app, which grants access to over 4,000 luxury hotels (Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG). New members receive 180 USD (~¥27,000) in HoteLux points as a welcome bonus. Available to all Luxury Card tiers.
• MSC CruiseskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxury Card members receive complimentary MSC Voyagers Club status matching: Gold Card gets Gold status, Black Card gets Silver status, Titanium Card gets Classic status. Benefits include cruise discounts, free specialty restaurant dinners, and free thermal area access. MSC Cruises is the world's third-largest cruise brand.
• CentaraThe1 (センタラ・ザ・ワン)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxury Card provides complimentary Platinum Elite status in Centara Hotels & Resorts' loyalty program, normally requiring 50+ nights per year. Benefits include priority check-in lanes, late checkout, complimentary room upgrades, and lounge access.
• GHA DISCOVERY (Global Hotel Alliance)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxury Card invites all members (as of June 2025) to complimentary Titanium membership in GHA DISCOVERY, a loyalty program covering 100+ countries and 850+ member hotels. This expands Luxury Card's global hotel network reach significantly.
• JAL and ANA Mileage ProgramscoreTechnology or IntegrationLuxury Card points transfer to JAL Mileage Bank, ANA Mileage Club, and United Airlines MileagePlus with no transfer caps and no transfer fees. Transfer rates: Gold Card 0.9 mile/100 yen, Black Card 0.75 mile/100 yen, Titanium Card 0.6 mile/100 yen. This unlimited, fee-free mileage transfer is a core value proposition.
• KIDSNA (キズナ) シッター / Nexter BeatskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxury Card partnered with Nexter Beats' KIDSNA Sitter service to provide members with up to ¥30,000 in coupons for licensed babysitters (all sitters hold national credentials: nursery teacher, kindergarten teacher, or nurse credentials). The program targets the growing segment of parent members, providing up to ¥15,000 for initial consultation + sitting and an additional ¥15,000 upon first use.
• GILT (Member-Only Luxury Fashion Platform)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury Card members receive complimentary upgrade to NOIR (invitation-only) or PLATINUM PROGRAM status on GILT, a New York-based flash sale luxury fashion platform with ~4,000 brands. Members access secret sales, free shipping, and premium fashion at reduced prices.
• Club Velocità (Supercar Sharing)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury Card members access supercar sharing (Lamborghini, Ferrari, etc.), helicopters, yachts, and other luxury experiences at preferential rates through Club Velocità.
• SAMANSA (Short Film Streaming)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury Card members receive 3 months of free annual subscription to SAMANSA, a premium short-form video streaming service featuring 700+ award-winning films, dramas, and documentaries.
• LC Circle Online Community PlatformcoreTechnology or IntegrationLuxury Card developed LC Circle, an industry-first proprietary online community platform for card members. Features include secret event notifications (LC Circle Secret Path), peer discussion boards, project sharing, and special member-only content. Accessible via the official app with auto-login. This platform drives member engagement and peer-to-peer referrals.
• FARFETCH (Luxury Fashion E-commerce)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury Card members receive 10% discount on regular-priced items from FARFETCH, the global luxury fashion platform, as part of lifestyle benefits.
• Best Restaurants Network (ベストレストラン連合)keyGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury Dining by Mastercard provides members access to approximately 250 restaurants where 2 guests receive 1 free course. Combined with the proprietary Luxury Dining by LC (40+ restaurants where 6 guests receive 3 free), this creates a differentiated dining network unavailable from standard premium cards.
• 1 Hotel Tokyo (Sustainable Luxury Hotel)minorGTM or Marketing Partner1 Hotel Tokyo (opened March 2026) hosted the exclusive Black Diamond President's Reception, an annual invite-only event for Black Diamond members. The partnership positions Luxury Card's top tier as aligned with the world's most exclusive sustainable luxury properties.
• Next Beat (株式会社ネクストビート)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerNext Beat operates KIDSNA Sitter, the babysitter matching service partnered with Luxury Card. All sitters hold national credentials. Luxury Card co-developed the coupon program structure (¥30,000 total in two stages) specifically for its member demographic of busy executives and parents.
• LC Market Place Partner BusinesseskeyGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate Black Diamond/Gold Card members promote their own businesses to the entire Luxury Card member base for free through the LC Market Place. Partner businesses include: HAAAVE (private sauna), DANCE GRAND Harajuku, Ailes de Vénus (medical lymph care), WEST SHORE PLUS (resort), 江守企画 (water filter), 焼肉きた松別邸 (yakiniku), and others across hospitality, wellness, and lifestyle categories.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• American Express (Centurion / Platinum): American Express operates the iconic Centurion ("Black") Card and Platinum Card, the most direct global competitors to Luxury Card's premium metal card tier with concierge, travel, and lifestyle benefits. Both target HNW individuals and compete for the same luxury status-spending wallet share.
• Diners Club International: Diners Club is a long-standing premium charge card brand globally and a competitor in Japan's premium card market, offering concierge and travel benefits to HNW members. Comparable product positioning and customer segment to Luxury Card's tiered card lineup.
• JCB (The Class / JCB Gold): JCB is Japan's domestic card network and offers The Class as its premium invitation-only tier plus JCB Gold, competing directly with Luxury Card for affluent Japanese consumers. Strong domestic merchant acceptance and Japanese-specific benefits make it a head-to-head competitor.

Emerging players

• Curve Metal: Curve Metal is a premium-tier metal card from UK fintech Curve offering multi-card consolidation, cashback, and travel insurance. Comparable emerging premium metal card concept targeting affluent consumers, though with a different geographic footprint.
• Revolut Metal: Revolut Metal is a metal-tier premium card from European neobank Revolut offering cashback, travel insurance, and concierge perks. Competes in the metal-card status-spending segment internationally; emerging player with overlapping but different geographic focus.
• Stratus Rewards (luxury card concept): Stratus Rewards is a US-based invitation-only lifestyle card offering exclusive benefits, white-glove concierge, and curated experiences. Comparable niche premium positioning but with a US focus and invitation-only model similar to Luxury Card's Black Diamond tier.

Regional players

• SBI Sumishin Net Bank / Aplus Card Products: Aplus Co., Ltd., the SBI Shinsei Bank subsidiary that issues Luxury Card products in Japan, also offers its own branded card products. While they are a partner to Luxury Card, their adjacent card issuance makes them a regional peer in Japan's premium/SME card segment.
• ANA Card / JAL Card Premium Series: ANA Card and JAL Card premium tiers (e.g., JAL Card with JGC/Lounge access) target the same HNW frequent-flier segment in Japan. JAL Card is also a direct partner of Luxury Card via co-branded product, making it both a competitor and partner.

Broad incumbents

• Rakuten Premium Card: Rakuten Card, part of Rakuten Group, is one of Japan's largest credit card issuers with premium-tier cards (Rakuten Premium Card) that compete with Luxury Card on points, travel benefits, and lifestyle perks. Much larger scale but lower-end premium positioning.
• MUFG (Mitsubishi UFJ) / Sumitomo Mitsui Card Premium Tiers: Japan's megabank credit card subsidiaries (SMBC, MUFG, Mizuho) offer premium card tiers with concierge, airport lounge, and travel benefits. Broad incumbents with much larger portfolios and merchant networks, providing overlapping premium-card value propositions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/luxurycardjp
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/LuxuryCardJapan/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/luxurycard.jp
• Instagraminstagram.com/luxurycardjapan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/luxurycard-japan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Black Card