Ethereum Foundation Opens $1M Security Audit Subsidy For Builders Through 20 Firms

TLDR

• Ethereum Foundation launched a $1M security subsidy for Ethereum builders.
• Selected projects can receive funding for up to 30% of audit costs.
• Chainlink and Nethermind will help review monthly applicant cohorts.
• The program gives teams access to more than 20 audit firms through Areta.
• The subsidy program follows Ethereum’s earlier Trillion-Dollar Security effort.

Ethereum Foundation has launched a $1 million security subsidy for Ethereum builders. The program gives selected teams access to over 20 audit firms through Areta’s marketplace.

The move lowers one of the biggest costs for early crypto teams. It also gives Ethereum projects a clearer path to outside code review before launch. That keeps the focus on safer products and stronger launch preparation.

Ethereum Foundation opens audit support for builders

The Ethereum Security Subsidy Program links developers to audit providers on the Areta Market. That network includes Blocksec, Cetora, Hacken, Immunefi, Quantstamp, and other firms.

Selected teams can receive funding for up to 30% of audit costs. New cohorts will be chosen every month, and the foundation will fund the program with $1 million. The marketplace model also gives teams more choice when they seek audit support.

The Ethereum Foundation said audits remain a best practice, but they are expensive for many teams. It wrote, “Security audits are a best practice, yet expensive.” It added that the subsidy should make audits more accessible.

The foundation said the program is meant to strengthen the wider Ethereum ecosystem. It also gives smaller teams a way to reach established audit providers without carrying the full cost alone.

Chainlink and Nethermind join the review process

Chainlink and Nethermind will help review applicants for each monthly cohort. Their role will focus on screening projects before subsidy support is approved. That adds technical review to the selection process.

The program will look at technical merit, feasibility, innovation, and team history. It will also favor projects with a clear commitment to building on Ethereum. The foundation said it wants teams with a genuine dedication to the network.

The foundation said the program will support teams tied to CROPs values. Those values are censorship resistance, open source, privacy, and security. Last month, the foundation named CROPs as core Ethereum principles.

Areta Market CEO Fin Boothroyd also described the structure behind the program. He said it is “a joint initiative with top-tier audit providers” backed by expert reviewers. That committee includes people from groups with deep Ethereum experience.

Security spending grows across crypto

The new subsidy builds on Ethereum’s broader security push from the past year. In 2025, the foundation introduced its “Trillion-Dollar Security” program to raise standards. This new funding plan adds a direct audit support layer to that work.

Areta has helped run a similar subsidy program for Solana developers. That earlier effort also used a $1 million pool to support external audits. The Ethereum program now brings that model to a wider set of Ethereum teams.

Security spending has also picked up elsewhere in crypto. Aave Labs recently announced a $1.5 million audit program for the Aave V4 protocol. That shows how code review remains a major focus across digital asset projects.

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