The Arbitrum ecosystem just launched one of the largest security grant programs in crypto - the Arbitrum Audit Program - allocating $10M in ARB to subsidize audits for early-stage projects over one year. It's a big step toward supporting safer growth across the Arbitrum ecosystem, especially for teams moving quickly with limited budgets.

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Nethermind Security is proud to be one of the first 12 audit firms approved by the Arbitrum DAO. After a rigorous two-step evaluation process, including document screening followed by technical interviews, we're now eligible to audit teams applying through the program, alongside leading firms like Trail of Bits, OpenZeppelin, and Certora.

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Why it matters

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Security is often one of the most underfunded and time-consuming parts of the dev stack, yet it plays a critical role in unlocking growth. A high-quality audit helps teams focus on what matters most: building, shipping, and scaling, without second-guessing the foundation they’re deploying.

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The Arbitrum Audit Program is designed to change that. It provides subsidized funding for eligible teams who:

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• Are building or plan to build on Arbitrum
• Have a clear use case and product-market fit
• Are planning upgrades or new deployments

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With funding in place and a vetted list of auditors to choose from, it's now easier than ever for teams to ship more securely - without compromising timelines or traction.

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What to expect from the application

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Applying to the program is straightforward. Projects submit basic details about their protocol, GitHub repos, audit scope, and preferred timeline and preferred auditor.

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Once approved, teams are matched with audit firms through the Arbitrum Audit Committee, which includes members from the Arbitrum Foundation, Offchain Labs, and DAO-elected technical experts. The Foundation selected audit partners through a rigorous evaluation process, assessing firms on track record with recent references, technical depth, pricing models, availability, and the specific qualifications of auditors who would work on Arbitrum projects.

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What to look for in an audit partner

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Choosing the right audit firm is about more than security coverage. It means finding a partner who understands your roadmap, adapts their process to your product stage, and helps de-risk complex system behavior. A strong audit process should support your long-term goals, not just produce a final report.

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Look for partners with:

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• Deep experience across L2s, rollups, and cryptographic systems
• A track record of transparent reporting and shared findings
• Clear communication and flexibility to align with your internal workflows

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What sets Nethermind Security apart

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Security is not a checkbox, and we do not treat it like one. At Nethermind Security, we specialize in uncovering business logic and protocol-layer vulnerabilities that could silently impact your users or operations over time. Our audit process is intentionally collaborative and tailored to each team’s product lifecycle, whether preparing for mainnet or upgrading core components.

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Here’s what distinguishes a truly effective audit partner, and how we deliver on that standard:

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• Deep collaborative process - Direct integration with your dev team through twice-weekly syncs and direct auditor-to-developer communication, not just a final report handoff
• Business logic expertise - Specialized focus on complex protocol behavior that could silently break your system for months if missed
• Sustainable quality approach - We prioritize quality over volume. Our audits are paced for deep focus, with layered reviews that support both thoroughness and long-term team health. We integrate directly with clients to align on priorities and ensure no detail is missed, not just aim for speed.
• Proven partnership track record - A high repeat client rate demonstrating long-term value beyond one-time audits

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Our engineering-first background, and our specialization across Ethereum, Taiko, Gnosis, zkSync, and cryptography-heavy protocols, gives us an edge in identifying vulnerabilities that generic audits often overlook.

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Since 2022, Nethermind Security has audited over 200,000 lines of code and surfaced 1,700+ vulnerabilities - including for L2 teams preparing for mainnet.

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Why we're excited

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Audits aren't just a compliance step. They help strengthen codebases, prevent exploits, and give your users more confidence. A strong audit gives teams peace of mind and creates space to focus on product and go-to-market efforts. And now, thanks to the Arbitrum DAO, access to high-quality collaborative audits is more equitable through this carefully curated program.

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We're excited to support more teams building in the Arbitrum ecosystem with the same integrated approach that's earned the trust of projects like Starknet, Lido, Polygon, and zkSync.

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Learn more or apply to the Arbitrum Audit Program →