Bitcoin STEMFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Bitcoin STEM franchise requires a total initial investment of $48K – $140K, including a $30K franchise fee and an ongoing 7.0% royalty[2]. The 2023 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). Verdict grade: B. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 18, 2026 · figures per the 2023 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $48K – $140K
- 11th pct Education
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- 47th pct Education
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- 17th pct Education
- Units
- 0
- 0th pct Education
- SBA default
- N/A
Quick verdict · Education · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Education avg · No shading = within ±15% · Red = >15% below avg · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Started franchising in 2023. Newer systems carry more uncertainty but may offer better territories.
The franchisor's auditor raised doubt about continued operations. This is a serious risk signal.
Bottom line
- Total investment $48K – $140K including a $30K franchise fee, 7.0% ongoing royalty.
- No Item 19 financial performance data disclosed. The franchisor chose not to publish revenue figures.
- Verdict B (Above Average) with a risk score of 62/100.
- Auditor disclosed a going-concern note, which flagged doubt about the franchisor's ability to continue operations. Verify against the latest FDD.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- Bitcoin STEM, LLC
- Incorporated in
- VA
- HQ
- 5706 Captain Jones Court, Fairfax Station, Virginia 22039
- Auditor
- Wegley, Higginbotham & Associates, PLC
- Audited financials
- ⚠ Going-concern note
- Disclosed in FDD 2023
- Status as of 2023; may have been resolved in a later filing we don't yet have.
Overview
About
Bitcoin STEM franchisees likely operate educational programs teaching cryptocurrency, blockchain, and STEM concepts to students (K-12 or adult learners), delivered through in-person classes, workshops, coding bootcamps, or online courses. Revenue models typically depend on course fees, enrollment volume, or corporate training contracts within a protected local territory.
- CEO
- Zachary Shelton
- Headquarters
- VA
- Founded
- 2022
- FDD year
- 2023
- States available
- 0
FDD Item 7 · 2023 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $30K | $30K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $4K | $10K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $14K | $100K |
| Total initial investment | $48K | $140K |
Source: Bitcoin STEM 2023 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $48K – $140K
- Better than avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $4K – $10K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $30K – $30K
- Better than avg vs category
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- percentage_of_gross · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 9.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 7.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $200 |
| Transfer fee | $5K |
| Renewal fee | $3K |
| Total fee load | 9.0% of rev |
Financial Performance
This franchisor did not disclose financial performance representations in Item 19, or our extractor could not parse them.
vs Education averages
How Bitcoin STEM Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 0
- Opened
- 0
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
3-year detail · Item 20
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
Pre-revenue or hidden-unit franchisor with going concern issues, zero financial benchmarks, and undisclosed unit count creates extreme due diligence blind spots and probable negative ROI.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Wegley, Higginbotham & Associates, PLC⚠ Going-concern note flagged
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Score breakdown · what drove the 62 / 100 rating
- 01MEDZero disclosed franchise units with unknown growth trajectory indicates brand is either pre-revenue or deliberately concealing unit data
- 02MINORNo average revenue or net income disclosure (Item 19) prevents validation of $48k-$139.5k investment ROI
- 03HIGHGoing concern status suggests financial instability at franchisor level despite operating franchise model
- 04MEDTiered royalty structure (7%-5%) on undisclosed revenue baseline makes it impossible to model franchisee profitability
- 05MEDBitcoin/cryptocurrency education niche has volatile demand, regulatory uncertainty, and limited addressable market
- 06HIGHNo litigation disclosure required language suggests either new brand with minimal franchise history or franchisor avoiding disclosure obligations
- 07MINOR5-year term is shorter than industry standard (10 years), suggesting higher franchisor exit risk or franchisee turnover concerns
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
FDD Items 5, 6, 12, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 5 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | Geographic area containing approximately 100 schools |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Virginia |
| Litigation count | 0 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 91 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 0 hrs
- Training location
- On-site and corporate
- POS system
- Jumbula
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Jumbula
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Bitcoin STEM franchise?
The total investment to open a Bitcoin STEM franchise ranges from $48K – $140K, with an initial franchise fee of $30K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Bitcoin STEM franchise owners earn?
Bitcoin STEM does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is Bitcoin STEM's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Bitcoin STEM (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
Is Bitcoin STEM a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Bitcoin STEM as a B-grade franchise with a risk score of 62 out of 100, based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.