Tech Bureau

Established in June 2014 by CEO Takao Asayama, Tech Bureau, Corp. is an Osaka-based financial technology and software development company focused on cryptocurrency and blockchain solutions. The firm initially gained prominence as the parent company behind Zaif, a Japanese cryptocurrency exchange that allowed for trading in various digital currencies like BTC, XEM, and MONA against the Japanese Yen. Over its history, Tech Bureau has secured approximately $25 million in funding through several rounds, attracting investments from notable entities such as JAFCO Group, Nippon Technology Venture Partners, and Infoteria.

A significant milestone in the company's journey was the development of "mijin," a private blockchain software created to help financial institutions and other enterprises reduce infrastructure costs and enhance security. Launched in 2015 with assistance from developers of the NEM blockchain project, mijin provides a permissioned environment for creating a variety of systems, including payment services, logistics, and governance systems, on a peer-to-peer network. The technology has been adopted for proof-of-concept projects internationally, for instance, by the municipal governments of Ghent and Antwerp in Belgium to improve administrative services. In July 2023, the company launched "mijin BOD" (Blockchain on Demand), a service allowing users to quickly set up a private mijin v2 blockchain environment, aiming to facilitate the transition from traditional databases to token-based systems.

The company's business model encompasses providing blockchain technology as a service (BaaS), developing custom software solutions, and offering consulting for Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) through its COMSA platform. However, the company's trajectory was significantly impacted by a major security breach in September 2018, when its Zaif exchange was hacked, resulting in the loss of approximately $60 million in cryptocurrencies. To compensate customers, Tech Bureau agreed to sell a majority stake to the Fisco Digital Asset Group. Subsequently, the company announced the discontinuation of its cryptocurrency exchange business after completing customer refunds and transferred the Zaif business to FISCO Cryptocurrency Exchange Inc.

Keywords: Tech Bureau, Takao Asayama, blockchain solutions, Mijin, private blockchain, Zaif, cryptocurrency exchange, financial technology, fintech, NEM, COMSA, blockchain as a service, crypto-fintech lab, digital asset management, enterprise blockchain, permissioned blockchain, token economy, ICO consulting, Osaka, Japan