What Paycle Inc. does

Paycle Inc. (株式会社ペイクル) is a privately held Japanese blockchain and fintech technology company founded on June 8, 2018, by CEO Masafumi Murakami, headquartered in Fukuoka with a Tokyo branch. The company positions itself as a technology partner to enterprises, governments, and academic institutions, operating across blockchain development, strategic consulting, fintech, sports technology, IoT, and post-quantum cryptography research. Its core product is UPCX, a high-speed Layer 1 blockchain for financial services and payments that achieves 100,000+ TPS with 1-second transaction finality, combining DPoS and BFT consensus mechanisms and launched on mainnet in October 2024. Paycle serves as UPCX's primary development partner, providing architectural design, core development, SDK/API interfaces, and ecosystem support.

The company monetizes primarily through professional services and strategic partnerships rather than a self-serve product. Revenue streams include project-based blockchain development and consulting engagements, technology licensing of its NFT ownership/usage rights separation patent (granted across Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea), and indirect monetization through the UPCX ecosystem. Go-to-market is sales-led, relying on direct enterprise engagement, industry events (WebX 2025, ICRERA 2025), and a growing strategic partnership network that includes NTT Digital, Fantasista Inc., YAMAKOMA ASSET BANK, Bitcoin Savior, JASST, and the Nagasaki Institute of Applied Science. Customer segments span financial services and fintech firms, sports organizations, startups to large enterprises, and academic research institutions.

Paycle's funding history consists of progressive registered capital increases from JPY 10M (2018) to JPY 366.4M (December 2024), with no external institutional investors identified, suggesting self-funded or shareholder-funded growth. The company is broadening its footprint beyond traditional blockchain consulting into verticals (sports tech, trading cards, crypto-asset recovery via Bitcoin Savior), products (Fanlink fan-engagement platform, IoT/Sensing Train prototype), and geographies (Senegal engagement, ICRERA 2025 in Vienna), while simultaneously investing in post-quantum cryptography research with the Nagasaki Institute of Applied Science.

Name

Paycle Inc.

Legal name

株式会社ペイクル

Website

https://paycle.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Paycle Inc. is a Fukuoka-based Japanese blockchain and fintech technology company that builds and co-develops the UPCX Layer 1 payments blockchain, provides blockchain consulting and development services, and licenses NFT IP across four Asian markets, serving enterprises, TSP-listed firms, and academic institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Blockchain Development Services

NAICS

Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Payments, Remittances & Merchant Acceptance (checkout, invoicing, payroll) (FSAPAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Payouts, Disbursements & Mass Payments Infrastructure (FSAGABAN), Bill Pay, Invoicing & Payables Platforms (BPAMAFAF), Embedded Payments (Pay-ins, Pay-outs, Wallets) (FSAGALAB)

Keywords

• Blockchain development services
• Enterprise blockchain consulting
• NFT patent licensing
• Post-quantum cryptography research
• Blockchain IoT integration

Headquarters

HQ city

Fukuoka

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Blockchain Development Services: Custom blockchain development and technical consulting services for enterprises, including architectural design, core development, and security enhancements. Revenue generated through project-based engagements and service contracts.
2. Blockchain Consulting: Strategic consulting services leveraging over eight years of blockchain expertise to help businesses implement blockchain technology effectively.
3. Technology Licensing: International patent portfolio covering NFT digital content delivery methods in Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea, with potential for technology licensing.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Paycle is a blockchain technology company that provides custom blockchain development services, strategic blockchain consulting, and serves as the core development partner for the UPCX Layer 1 blockchain platform. It also develops adjacent solutions in Fanlink (sports fan engagement using NFTs/tokens), blockchain-IoT data platforms, and post-quantum cryptography research for enterprise and institutional clients.

Product overview

Paycle Inc. is a blockchain and fintech technology company that operates as a multi-product and service provider. Its core offerings include: (1) UPCX - a high-speed Layer 1 blockchain platform for payments developed in-house as the primary development partner; (2) Fanlink - a fan engagement platform using UPCX blockchain with NFTs and tokens; (3) Blockchain Development Services - custom blockchain and dApp development; (4) Blockchain Consulting - strategic Web3 advisory with 8+ years of expertise; (5) IoT Development - sensor and connected device solutions integrated with blockchain; (6) Quantum-Resistant Cryptography R&D - post-quantum cryptography research with academic partners; (7) FinTech Solutions - blockchain and AI-powered financial services for global markets; (8) SportsTech Solutions - blockchain and emerging tech for sports industry innovation. The company also pursues an active patent strategy for NFT technology across Asian markets. Services span from Fukuoka, Japan to global markets, with strategic partnerships with UPCX-Platforms, NTT Digital, and various academic institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UPCX: High-speed Layer 1 blockchain platform for financial services and payments, developed in partnership with UPCX-Platforms PTE. LTD.
• Fanlink

Products and services

• UPCX Blockchain Platform UPCX is a high-speed Layer 1 blockchain platform designed for financial services and payments. EVM-compatible, smart-contract enabled, combining DPoS and BFT consensus to achieve 100,000+ TPS with 1-second transaction finality. Paycle serves as the core development partner.
• Fanlink Fanlink is a fan engagement platform utilizing UPCX blockchain technology that leverages NFTs and fan tokens to create new revenue models through tokenized memberships and direct value exchange between athletes and fans.
• Blockchain Development Services Custom blockchain development and dApp solutions that leverage decentralized networks to reduce data tampering risk. Includes smart contract automation for business process streamlining and building low-cost, robust, secure systems for enterprise clients.
• Blockchain Consulting Services Strategic blockchain consulting and Web3 strategy services covering blockchain implementation, technology selection, architectural design, and technical problem-solving for businesses, leveraging 8+ years of blockchain expertise.
• FinTech Solutions Financial technology solutions leveraging blockchain and AI to develop and provide products and services for both developed and developing nations, focusing on creating disparity-free financial systems accessible to anyone.
• SportsTech Solutions Sports technology solutions using blockchain, data analytics, wearable devices, AI, VR/AR, and IoT to elevate sporting experiences for athletes, coaches, fans, and businesses, creating fairer competitive landscapes.

Quantifiable outcome

• UPCX achieves 100,000+ TPS with 1-second transaction finality, surpassing traditional credit card networks
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, minor and core.

• Bitcoin Savior Co., Ltd.strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Business alliance agreement in crypto asset sector with Bitcoin Savior, a consolidated subsidiary of Ureru Net Advertising Group (TSE Growth: 9235). Partnership addresses customer needs for crypto asset 'recovery,' 'safekeeping,' and 'utilization.' Combines Paycle's blockchain expertise with Bitcoin Savior's crypto asset recovery capabilities.
• YAMAKOMA ASSET BANKstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 November 2025Tripartite MoU for capital and business alliance in trading card sector between Paycle, Fantasista Inc., and YAMAKOMA ASSET BANK (Headquarters: Osaka City).
• Fantasista Inc.strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2025Business alliance for service and product development based on UPCX blockchain. Fantasista is listed on TSE Standard (1783). Partnership aims to jointly promote development of new services utilizing blockchain technology.
• Embassy of the Republic of Senegal in JapanminorOthers · 20 October 2025Courtesy visit by CEO Masafumi Murakami to the Embassy of Senegal. Discussions on potential social implementation of digital transformation using blockchain technology, including payment systems. Ambassador Diouf expressed interest in UPCX's technological advantages for addressing financial inclusion challenges in Africa.
• ICRERA 2025minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 September 2025Selected as official partner of the 14th International Conference on Renewable Energy Research and Applications (ICRERA 2025) in Vienna, Austria. Second consecutive year of support.
• WebX 2025minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 August 2025Paycle participated as technology partner supporting UPCX's title sponsor exhibition at WebX 2025, Asia's largest Web3 conference. Demonstrated UPCX blockchain capabilities and announced strategic partnerships.
• NTT DigitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 August 2025Three-way MOU between UPCX, Paycle, and NTT Digital for real-world implementation of next-generation decentralized payment systems. NTT Digital discusses provision of UPCX blockchain infrastructure for corporate clients, particularly financial institutions and crypto asset exchanges. Paycle provides technical information and SDK/API support.
• Nagasaki Institute of Applied SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Established 'Green Blockchain Development PAYCLE/UPCX Joint Research Program' for advanced technology research. Joint research on post-quantum cryptography and blockchain-based IoT data management. Associate Professor Azumi Sakai (Ph.D. in Science) participates as collaborative research member.
• Digital Agency (Japan)minorOthers · 1 March 2025Courtesy visit to Minister Masaaki Taira at Japan's Digital Agency, accompanied by Fukuoka City Mayor Soichiro Takashima and UPCX representatives. Presented PAYCLE business operations and UPCX technical characteristics. Discussed crypto-asset tax challenges and Japanese Web3 industry status.
• Japan Association of Next-Generation Sensor Technology (JASST)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 October 2024Tripartite business alliance with UPCX and JASST to advance blockchain technology through integration with next-generation sensor technology. Aims to achieve secure and efficient data management and analysis, with applications in IoT and Smart Cities.
• UPCX-Platforms PTE. LTD.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 November 2023Paycle serves as the primary development partner for UPCX, a high-speed Layer 1 blockchain for financial services. The partnership involves architectural design, core development, security enhancements, and technology selection. Paycle provides technical information, specification coordination, and SDK/API development support. UPCX launched its mainnet in October 2024.
• Fukuoka CityminorOthersFukuoka City provides support to PAYCLE as a locally-based technology company. The city has shown support through official visits and collaborative initiatives.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Polygon Labs: Major Layer 1/scaling blockchain with payments and enterprise use cases, including EVM compatibility and smart contracts. Direct technical overlap with UPCX's EVM-compatible architecture.
• Fireblocks: Institutional digital asset custody and transaction infrastructure platform. Comparable as enterprise-grade payments and blockchain transaction processing infrastructure adjacent to UPCX.
• Alchemy: Leading blockchain developer platform providing APIs, SDKs, and node infrastructure. Comparable to Paycle/UPCX's SDK and API offerings for application developers.
• Ripple (XRP Ledger): Incumbent blockchain payments infrastructure provider targeting financial institutions for cross-border and on-chain payments. Comparable to UPCX's positioning as a payment-focused Layer 1 blockchain.
• Hedera (HBAR Foundation): Enterprise-focused distributed ledger with high throughput and governance by major corporations. Overlaps UPCX in payments, tokenization, and enterprise positioning.

Others

• NTT Digital: Strategic partner and potential competitor in blockchain payment infrastructure for Japanese financial institutions. Comparable as a Japanese enterprise blockchain channel, though structurally a partner rather than competitor.

Direct peers

• ConsenSys: Largest independent Ethereum-focused blockchain development and consulting firm, offering custom L1/L2 development, smart contracts, and enterprise advisory. Closest direct peer to Paycle's blockchain development and consulting services model.
• Stellar Development Foundation: Open-source Layer 1 blockchain purpose-built for payments, remittances, and asset issuance with financial inclusion focus. Closely aligned with UPCX's stated payments and financial inclusion mission.
• Kadena (Chainweb): Layer 1 blockchain targeting enterprise and financial services with high throughput consensus (Chainweb braided PoW). Comparable to UPCX as a payments-grade L1 marketed at institutions.

Emerging players

• Aptos Labs: Newer Layer 1 blockchain (mainnet 2022) emphasizing high throughput and smart-contract capability. Comparable to UPCX as a recently launched performance-focused L1.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Paycle Inc.