Hedera Council

What Hedera Council does

Hedera Council is a Delaware limited liability company (Hedera Hashgraph, LLC, d/b/a Hedera Council) that governs the Hedera public distributed ledger network. Founded in 2017 by Dr. Leemon Baird and Mance Harmon, the Council is composed of up to 39 member organizations spanning Fortune Global 2000 enterprises, leading universities, and fintechs, supplemented by up to 45 Strategic Partners and 50+ Community Partners. Members run network nodes, vote on governance under the LLC Agreement, and approve technology updates, treasury allocations, and membership decisions. As of the latest disclosed data, the Council comprises 31 member organizations across 11 industries including Google, IBM, Deutsche Telekom, Accenture, FedEx, LG, Hitachi, Nomura, Shinhan Bank, Standard Bank, Tata Communications, Mondelēz, McLaren Racing, and Chainlink Labs.

The core technology is the hashgraph consensus algorithm, invented by Dr. Baird, whose IP was purchased from Swirlds, Inc. in 2022 for ~$76.3M (292.7M HBAR) and subsequently open-sourced under Apache 2.0 and contributed to Linux Foundation Decentralized Trust as Project Hiero in September 2024. The Hedera Network charges transaction fees denominated in HBAR, the native cryptocurrency with a fixed 50 billion total supply. Fees split into Node Fees (paid to node operators), Network Fees (paid to Hedera for consensus processing), and Service Fees (for specific services such as smart contracts and file storage). The Council manages a treasury allocating HBAR across Initial Development (7.77%), Purchase Agreements (25.40%), Network Governance (16.23%), and Ecosystem and Open Source Development (50.61%), with 94.56% of supply released as of Q2 2026.

Hedera Council does not disclose revenue and operates as a non-traditional LLC whose economic engine is HBAR treasury appreciation and ecosystem growth rather than fee income. Monetization of the broader Hedera ecosystem flows through HBAR transaction fees, node operator subsidies (USD reimbursement approved for H1 2025 with HBAR-only rewards from July 2025), Hedera Foundation grants, and commercial programs run by Hashgraph (the product and codebase entity) and The Hashgraph Association (non-US DLT funding). Go-to-market combines enterprise field sales targeting Global 2000 organizations and top-10 universities, a formal application-and-approval membership process, and a developer-led community motion through Project Hiero and the Hiero Improvement Proposals process.

Name

Hedera Council

Legal name

Hedera Hashgraph, LLC

Website

https://hederacouncil.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Hedera Council is a Delaware LLC governing the Hedera public distributed ledger network through up to 39 global member organizations that run nodes and vote on governance, treasury, and technology decisions. Members include Fortune 500 enterprises, universities, and fintechs; revenue accrues indirectly via HBAR transaction fees and treasury management.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Distributed Ledger Network Governance

NAICS

Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

On-Chain Voting & Proposal Systems (FSAPAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Delegation, Representation & Voting Power Markets (FSAPAHAG), Governance / DAO Validator Participation & Delegation Infrastructure (FSADAKAL), Coordination & Contributor Management (tasks, bounties, roles) (FSAPAHAD), Governance Analytics, Reporting & Transparency Dashboards (FSAPAHAI)

Keywords

• Distributed ledger governance
• Public network stewardship
• Enterprise blockchain council
• Decentralized governance
• Hashgraph consortium

Headquarters

HQ city

Las Vegas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Network Transaction Fees: The Hedera Network operates through fees denominated and paid in HBAR cryptocurrency. Transaction Fees consist of Node Fees (paid to nodes for submitting transactions), Network Fees (paid to Hedera for processing transactions into consensus), and Service Fees (paid for specific network services like cryptocurrency transfers, smart contract processing, and file storage). Transaction fees may be calculated based on transaction size, processing requirements, and service delivery time.
2. HBAR Treasury Investments: Hedera Council manages a treasury of HBAR tokens (50 billion total supply) allocated across development costs, purchase agreements, network governance operations, and ecosystem development. The treasury generates value through strategic allocation and staking rewards from the proof-of-stake consensus mechanism.
3. Node Payments and Staking Rewards: The Hedera Network uses a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism. Nodes earn HBAR payments for processing transactions, distributed daily based on uptime and participation. Staking reward payments are made to staking participants for contributions to consensus. Node rewards may be subsidized, with CoinCom proposing USD reimbursement for node operators through mid-2025.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hedera Council is the governing body of the Hedera public network, organized as Hedera Hashgraph, LLC, a Delaware LLC. It oversees the operation, management, and evolution of the hashgraph-based distributed ledger network through a membership of up to 39 council members, and manages the network's treasury and protocol decisions.

Product overview

Hedera Council governs the Hedera Network, a leading public distributed ledger technology (DLT) platform powered by the hashgraph consensus algorithm. The product portfolio includes the Hedera Network (core blockchain infrastructure), HBAR (native cryptocurrency with 50 billion total supply), Hedera Developer Tools (APIs, SDKs, and simulators for application development), and the Hedera Test Network for testing. The ecosystem is supported by Hedera Foundation for ecosystem development and Hashgraph (formerly Swirlds Labs) for product innovation. The codebase was contributed to Project Hiero under Linux Foundation Decentralized Trust. The Council also manages treasury operations and offers Strategic and Community Partner Programs for ecosystem participation. The network features fixed, low transaction fees and open-source architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hedera Public Network Governance
• HBAR Transaction Fee Management

Quantifiable outcome

• Tokenized asset settlement: Lloyds Banking Group, Aberdeen Investments, and Archax completed a UK-first by settling tokenized real-world assets (money market funds and UK gilts) as collateral for institutional FX trades on Hedera's public network.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• New Strategic and Community Partners (5)majorOthers · 9 June 2026Five new partners joined Hedera Council partnership program spanning insurance innovation, AI governance, developer infrastructure, and travel technology to accelerate real-world adoption across the ecosystem.
• McLaren RacingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 March 2026McLaren Racing joined Hedera Council bringing one of motorsport's most iconic brands to the network to advance fan engagement and digital innovation.
• FedExcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2026FedEx joined Hedera Council to help advance trusted digital infrastructure that can support the evolving lifecycle of global shipments and make supply chains smarter for everyone.
• HalbornmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2026Halborn joined as a Strategic Partner, bringing cybersecurity expertise to strengthen the Hedera ecosystem's security posture.
• RepsolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2025Repsol, a global energy company, joined to accelerate adoption of Web3 technologies in the energy sector with strong focus on Decentralized Digital Identity (DID) for trust, security, and efficiency.
• GBBC (Global Blockchain Business Council)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 November 2025GBBC joined as the first Strategic Partner of Hedera Council. The partnership brings co-creation of solutions, drives adoption, and expands global engagement with organizations that share Hedera's values and bring meaningful expertise to the network.
• Blockchain For Energy (B4E)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2025Blockchain for Energy, a non-profit consortium of leading global energy companies, joined Hedera Council to drive progress in sustainability and emissions reporting using the B4E Carbon platform on Hedera.
• Arrow ElectronicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2025Arrow Electronics (NYSE: ARW), a global distributor sourcing and engineering technology solutions for thousands of manufacturers, joined to support decentralized governance and develop a global supply chain initiative.
• AccenturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2025Accenture joined Hedera Council to help build transparent, scalable infrastructure for enterprise AI, supporting trusted agentic solutions across financial services, government, and large enterprises.
• Institute of International Finance (IIF)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublic policy and advocacy partnership through industry membership for regulatory engagement and standards development.
• World Economic ForummajorGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic engagement through industry membership for global policy influence and blockchain standards development.
• Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerFounding Strategic Partner; advancing adoption of blockchain technology for secure and equitable societies through thought leadership and industry collaboration.
• Blockchain AssociationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerUS-based blockchain policy advocacy and regulatory engagement partnership.
• techUKmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerUK technology industry partnership for European regulatory engagement and blockchain standards.
• GSMAmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal telecom industry association partnership for telecommunications sector blockchain adoption and standards.
• Women in CryptominorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry advocacy partnership promoting diversity and inclusion in blockchain.
• Stand With CryptominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCryptocurrency advocacy partnership for regulatory engagement.
• W3HminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBlockchain advocacy organization partnership.
• Blockchain for EuropemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerEuropean blockchain policy and standards partnership.
• Global Digital FinancemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital finance standards and best practices partnership.
• Milken InstitutemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerThink tank partnership for research and policy development on financial innovation.
• Atlantic CouncilmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerForeign policy think tank partnership for geopolitical aspects of blockchain technology.
• Hedera FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcosystem entity driving growth on Hedera network by empowering developers, builders, and innovators with funding, resources, and expert guidance. Received grants including 3.5B HBAR distribution in February 2025. Rebranded from HBAR Foundation.
• Hashgraph (formerly Swirlds Labs)coreTechnology or IntegrationSoftware company spearheading Hedera's product innovation and codebase development. Led by world-renowned leaders in web2 and web3. Provides services to Hedera Council via services agreement.
• The Hashgraph AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss non-profit accelerating global adoption of Hedera-powered solutions by funding innovation, training, and venture programs. Primarily supports non-U.S. enterprise DLT funding.
• Linux Foundation Decentralized Trust (LF Decentralized Trust)coreTechnology or IntegrationManages Project Hiero, which encompasses the Hedera source code including hashgraph consensus algorithm, core services, and essential tools. Ensures vendor-neutral governance and continuous growth.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ripple Labs: Major blockchain company governing the XRP Ledger with strong enterprise focus (cross-border payments, institutional finance). Comparable in targeting regulated financial institutions and CBDC use cases, though Ripple is a for-profit company rather than a foundation governance model.
• R3: Enterprise blockchain software company behind Corda DLT, focused on financial services and regulated industries. Comparable enterprise DLT target market and consortium governance approach, though R3 is a venture-backed private company rather than a member-run LLC.

Direct peers

• Solana Foundation: Nonprofit steward of the Solana public blockchain, focused on high-throughput decentralized applications. Comparable as a foundation governing a public DLT network with treasury management and ecosystem grants; both compete for enterprise and developer adoption in similar use cases.
• Stellar Development Foundation: Nonprofit stewarding the Stellar public DLT network focused on payments, tokenization, and financial inclusion. Comparable mission and structure to Hedera Council with treasury management, institutional partnerships, and emphasis on regulated financial use cases.
• Tezos Foundation: Swiss foundation stewarding the Tezos blockchain with on-chain governance and ecosystem grants. Comparable in foundation-led governance of a public DLT, treasury management, and enterprise/regulatory engagement, though Tezos uses formal on-chain voting rather than a Council.
• Hyperledger Foundation: Linux Foundation-hosted organization governing Hyperledger enterprise blockchain projects. Comparable governance model (Linux Foundation-backed open-source DLT with enterprise member consortia) and similar enterprise target market, though Hyperledger focuses on permissioned chains.
• Cardano Foundation: Independent nonprofit governing the Cardano blockchain ecosystem. Comparable as a foundation governing a public DLT with treasury management, regulatory engagement, and enterprise partnership focus, though Cardano's approach emphasizes academic peer review over Hedera's Council-driven governance.
• Ethereum Foundation: Nonprofit governance body for the Ethereum public DLT network. Directly comparable as a foundation-style governance organization stewarding a public blockchain, with comparable treasury management, ecosystem grants, and developer community focus. Ethereum's open validator model contrasts with Hedera's permissioned Council nodes.
• Algorand Foundation: Governance and ecosystem development body for the Algorand public blockchain. Closely comparable in structure (foundation governing a public DLT with enterprise focus, token economics, and ecosystem grants) and target market (regulated enterprise applications, CBDCs, tokenization).

Emerging players

• Polygon Labs: Major Ethereum Layer-2 scaling and infrastructure provider with significant enterprise partnerships. Competes for enterprise DLT use cases and developer mindshare with comparable positioning around low-cost, high-throughput transactions for regulated applications.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/hashgraph

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Hedera Council