- The Ethereum Foundation launched the Ethereum Security Subsidy Program on April 14, committing US$1 million to help mainnet builders cover professional smart contract audit costs.
- More than 20 audit firms, including Certora, Zellic, Immunefi, and Quantstamp, joined the Areta marketplace to deliver competitive quotes, with subsidies covering up to 30% of total costs.
- The program falls under the Foundation’s Trillion Dollar Security Initiative and is open to all Ethereum mainnet teams.
The Ethereum Foundation allocated US$1 million (AU$1.45 million) to subsidise smart contract audits, launching the program on April 14 to reduce security risks across its developer ecosystem.
The Ethereum Security Subsidy Program is a joint initiative with audit marketplace Areta, Nethermind and Chainlink Labs. It allows eligible projects to access professional audits at reduced cost through a network of more than 20 security firms.
Audit costs typically range from US$50K (AU$72.5K) to US$500K (AU$725K), limiting access for early-stage teams. The subsidy covers up to 30% of fees, with higher support available in select cases. Funding is distributed on a first-come basis until the pool is exhausted.
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How the Program Works
It’s relatively simple. Projects apply through Areta Market and are reviewed monthly by a committee including representatives from the Ethereum Foundation and partner organisations, and then approved teams receive the subsidy and can request competitive quotes from multiple auditors.
Some participating firms include Certora, Cyfrin, Dedaub, Hacken, Immunefi, Quantstamp, Sherlock, Spearbit, Zellic and Zokyo.
The program is open to all Ethereum mainnet developers, with priority given to projects aligned with the Foundation’s CROPS framework, like censorship resistance, open source development, privacy and security.
Securing The Trillion Dollar Network
The initiative forms part of Ethereum’s Trillion Dollar Security effort, which focuses on strengthening infrastructure as the network handles larger volumes of on-chain value. It does not introduce protocol changes or regulatory elements.
The launch follows a series of security incidents in decentralised finance, where smart contract vulnerabilities remain a primary attack vector. High audit costs have been identified as a key barrier to preventative security measures before deployment.
Recent breaches, including Drift Protocol, have intensified focus on proactive defence measures across blockchain ecosystems, with competing networks introducing similar programs.
Initial response from developers and security researchers has centred on cost reduction as a direct method to improve audit coverage and lower exploit risk.
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