250,000 people interact with blockchain every week through 24karat's network of Japanese vending machines. According to 24karat, 99% of them have never used crypto before and don't know they're using it now.
By integrating Flow-based NFTs into Japan's iconic vending machine infrastructure, 24karat has built a platform that grows fan engagement, connects creators with their audiences, and turns participation into long-term value. With 2,000 machines deployed from Hokkaido to Okinawa and a thriving ecosystem of 300+ VTuber creators, 24karat demonstrates that mainstream adoption doesn't require convincing people to care about blockchain. It requires meeting them where they already are.
24karat joins a consumer network on Flow that includes NBA Top Shot, NFL ALL DAY, Disney Pinnacle, and Ticketmaster, collectively representing 40M+ user accounts. Together, they make Flow the only Layer 1 with proven mainstream distribution at this scale.
The Current Ecosystem
- Weekly Active Users: 250,000
- Physical Footprint: 2,000 machines nationwide
- Active NFT Portals: ~1,000 machines dedicated to Flow digital collectibles
- Mainstream Penetration: 99% of users have no prior crypto experience
- Creator Network: 300+ VTubers generating 200-300 transactions daily
From Enterprise Platform to Physical Infrastructure
24karat started as a community platform for brands and corporate clients. Enterprise onboarding was slow, and in the Japanese market, the word "blockchain" carried heavy reputational baggage.
The breakthrough came from a simple insight: meet people where they are. By partnering with vending machine operators (who became key investors), 24karat turned an existing cultural staple into a gateway for digital collectibles. What began as a single pilot in a Shibuya nightclub has scaled into a nationwide retail model spanning shopping malls, train stations, supermarkets, and parking lots.
This is the kind of distribution model Flow was designed for. Native account abstraction means users never see a wallet creation step. Sub-cent transaction fees make $5-$10 vending machine purchases viable. And the same enterprise credibility that attracted the NBA, Disney, and the NFL to Flow gave 24karat the reputation it needed to sign Japanese brand partners in a skeptical market.
The Invisible User Experience
The 24karat user profile represents the future Flow is building toward: people who use blockchain without knowing it exists.
Users discover the machines in high-traffic hubs like Shibuya or Akihabara. They purchase a digital item to support a favorite VTuber. They collect stamps toward physical rewards, trade with other fans, and burn an NFT to get a physical card shipped to their door. The entire experience runs on Flow, and at no point does a user encounter terms like "minting," "gas fees," or "wallet recovery."
This is what consumer-grade blockchain infrastructure looks like: fan engagement that compounds without a single onboarding tutorial.
Why Flow: The Five-Year Verdict
"When it comes to building mainstream applications on blockchain, Flow still has the track record. You see Flow working with NBA Top Shot, Disney Pinnacle, NFL ALL DAY — all the big brands. For us working with enterprise clients in Japan, that reputation is critical. We can say 'we're working with the NBA and Disney' and suddenly blockchain becomes credible instead of risky."
- Seth Luan, 24karat
After five years of production, 24karat remains committed to Flow for three reasons:
- Enterprise Credibility. In a market where blockchain carries reputational risk, the partnerships on Flow with Disney, the NBA, and the NFL act as a credibility signal. For 24karat's enterprise sales conversations, being on the same network as these brands transforms blockchain from a liability into a corporate asset.
- Economic Viability. The business model relies on high-volume, low-cost transactions. Sub-cent fees and reliable processing on the Flow network make the $5-$10 vending machine price point sustainable at scale.
- Developer Experience. "Our developers are happy," says Seth. The ecosystem provides mature tools and a proven track record rather than unfulfilled technical promises.
What 24karat Demonstrates
Mainstream adoption doesn't require people to understand blockchain or care about it. It requires infrastructure that makes blockchain invisible.
24karat has built that infrastructure in one of the world's most skeptical markets. 250,000 weekly users, 2,000 machines, 300 creators, and 99% of them arrived without a single crypto tutorial. Five years of production on Flow, and they're expanding.
This is not a pilot. It's an operating business at national scale, and it's proof that the consumer distribution model on the Flow Network transcends beyond borders and sports IP.
What's Next
24karat is expanding beyond Japan, with partner networks under exploration in Taiwan and South Korea. The team is also scaling its licensed IP marketplace and onboarding additional tier-one entertainment brands.
Learn more about 24karat at 24karat.io. Explore the Flow ecosystem to see how builders are creating consumer experiences on Flow.
