Safe Foundation

What Safe Foundation does

Safe Foundation (legally "Safe Ecosystem Foundation") is a non-profit Swiss foundation (Stiftung) based in Zug, Switzerland, established in 2018 as Gnosis Safe within Gnosis and spun off as an independent entity in 2022. It stewards Safe, the most widely deployed smart account standard on Ethereum, securing over $60B in digital assets across 63M+ accounts on 300+ networks, with $1T+ in total transaction volume processed. The core technology is Safe Smart Accounts — programmable smart contract accounts providing multi-signature security, account abstraction (ERC-4337, ERC-7579), and a modular architecture with modules, hooks/guards, and cross-platform interoperability via the ERC-7579 adapter. The codebase is 2x formally verified, 10+ independently audited, open-source, and supported by a $1M bug bounty program.

The Foundation operates a non-profit revenue model: the core protocol is free, open-source, and permissionlessly deployed. Operations are funded by a $100M treasury raised in July 2022 (led by 1kx with 50+ co-investors) and managed through wholly-owned subsidiary Hecate Ventures AG (est. 2024). The Foundation serves four primary segments: DAOs and decentralized protocols (BitDAO, 1inch), institutional investors and funds (GSR, Bitfinex, Shopify), retail/individual users (30M+ World users), and a developer ecosystem of 200+ projects. Go-to-market is community-led and product-led — growth is driven through SafeDAO governance, ecosystem grants (~$1.3M via OBRA framework), hackathons ($250K in prizes), the Safe{AAccelerator} (in partnership with LongHashX), and the Safe{Core} Gas Station developer incentive program. Commercialization is being pursued through Safe Labs, a for-profit subsidiary established in 2025, while SAFE token holders govern the protocol and now participate in Safenet Beta staking (launched April 2026) for network security.

Name

Safe Foundation

Legal name

Safe Ecosystem Foundation

Website

https://safefoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Safe Foundation is a non-profit Swiss foundation stewarding the Safe smart account standard on Ethereum, securing $60B+ across 63M+ accounts on 300+ networks. It serves DAOs, institutions, retail users, and a 200+ project developer ecosystem through open-source, community-governed infrastructure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Smart Account Infrastructure

NAICS

Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Account Abstraction & Smart Wallet Tooling (AA SDKs, paymasters, session keys) (FSAPABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Smart Contract Wallets / Account Abstraction (MPC/AA, social recovery, paymasters) (FSAPACAB), Smart Contract Frameworks & SDKs (developer kits, templates, standards) (FSAPABAB), Stablecoin Protocols (Decentralized) (FSADAMAD)

Keywords

• Smart account infrastructure
• Self-custody solutions
• Account abstraction protocol
• Multi-signature wallets
• Blockchain security tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Zug

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Non-profit / Grant & Ecosystem Funding Model: Safe Ecosystem Foundation is a non-profit Swiss foundation. It does not generate commercial revenue from the protocol. Operations are funded through treasury management (via Hecate Ventures AG), ecosystem grants, and the broader SafeDAO governance structure. Revenue is allocated to technology development, ecosystem growth, and security.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Safe Foundation is a non-profit Swiss foundation stewarding Safe Smart Accounts, the most widely deployed programmable smart contract account standard on Ethereum. The foundation builds and maintains open-source smart account infrastructure with multi-signature security, account abstraction (ERC-4337, ERC-7579), and a modular architecture, securing over $60B in digital assets across 300+ networks. It also funds the ecosystem through grants, the Safe{AAccelerator} program, and SafeDAO governance.

Product overview

Safe Foundation operates a platform-plus-modules architecture centered on Safe Smart Accounts - the most widely deployed smart account infrastructure on Ethereum, securing over $60B in digital assets. The core Safe Smart Accounts provide programmable multi-signature security through smart contracts deployed across 300+ networks. The ecosystem includes the Safe{Core} Protocol for modular interoperability, the Safe Token for governance and Safenet staking, and various official modules including the Safe4337Module for ERC-4337 compatibility, Allowance Module for spending limits, Passkey Module for passkey authentication, and Social Recovery Module. Safe Labs drives enterprise adoption while SafeDAO enables decentralized governance. The foundation supports the ecosystem through grants, the Safe{AAccelerator} program, and Safe Ventures.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Safe Smart Accounts Programmable smart contract accounts providing multi-signature security, passkeys, social logins, recovery, and modularity for individuals, businesses, and organizations managing digital assets. The most widely deployed smart account infrastructure on Ethereum, securing over $60B in digital assets.
• Safe{Core} Protocol Modular, open-source interoperability protocol for modular smart accounts that is vendor agnostic, enables high component reuse, and provides robust security while maintaining smart account diversity.
• Safe Token (SAFE) Governance and utility token enabling SAFE token holders to participate in SafeDAO governance and operate Validators on Safenet by staking tokens.
• Safenet Beta Decentralized transaction security network that enforces protocol-level security controls before Safe transactions execute, using cryptographic attestations verified onchain.
• SafeDAO Decentralized autonomous organization providing SAFE token holders with participation rights in governance of the Safe Ecosystem.
• Safe4337Module Official Safe Module providing ERC-4337 compatibility, acting as a Fallback Handler and Safe Module that implements the ERC-4337 interface for user operation validation and execution.
• Safe Passkey Module Official Safe Module enabling passkey-based authentication and signature verification for Safe accounts.
• Social Recovery Module Official Safe Module enabling social recovery mechanisms for account access restoration.
• Safe Ecosystem Grants Program Funding program supporting builders, researchers, and communities advancing smart account infrastructure adoption and security through spontaneous grants, hackathons, and ecosystem funding.
• Safe Bug Bounty Program Security program rewarding researchers up to $1,000,000 for identifying vulnerabilities in Safe smart contracts. Covers Safe Smart Account versions v1.5.0, v1.4.1, v1.3.0, v1.2.0, v1.1.1 and officially supported modules.
• Safe{AAccelerator} Account abstraction accelerator program run in partnership with Longhash, providing $200K funding per project plus 12-week curriculum and mentorship for projects building on Safe{Core}.
• Safe{Core} Gas Station Program providing free gas credits across Polygon and Gnosis Chain to sponsor developer transaction fees through ERC-4337 paymasters, reducing barriers for early-stage developers building gasless applications.
• Safe Labs For-profit subsidiary established to commercialize Safe technology and drive enterprise adoption.

Quantifiable outcome

• Secures $60B+ in digital assets across 50M+ deployed accounts on Ethereum and 300+ networks
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• GnosiscoreTechnology or IntegrationSafe originated as Gnosis Safe, an internal tool within Gnosis. In 2022, Safe spun off from Gnosis as an independent foundation in Zug. Gnosis (2015) is the Ethereum infrastructure company co-founded by Stefan George, Safe's co-founder.
• Core Contributors GmbHcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBerlin-based software company founded in 2022 by core Safe smart contract developers. Maintains and develops the Safe{Wallet} and Safe{Core} source code as a service provider for the Safe Ecosystem Foundation. Also a genesis validator in Safenet Beta.
• RhinestonestrategicTechnology or IntegrationBlockchain infrastructure and tooling provider for modular smart accounts. Co-developed the ERC-7579 adapter for Safe with Safe and Pimlico, and built the Module Registry for security attestations. Co-author of ERC-7579 standard along with ZeroDev and OKX.
• PimlicostrategicTechnology or IntegrationSmart account development platform providing ERC-4337 bundlers and paymasters. Preferred paymaster for Safe{Core} Gas Station program. Co-developed ERC-7579 adapter with Safe and Rhinestone. Creator and maintainer of permissionless.js TypeScript SDK.
• LongHash / LongHashXstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeb3 accelerator and venture builder. Partnered with Safe to launch the Safe{AAccelerator} — the first account abstraction accelerator program — accepting 5 projects each receiving $200,000 in funding plus 12 weeks of mentorship. Also runs the Safe Builders' Fellowship Program for 20-25 additional projects.
• Safe LabscoreTechnology or IntegrationFor-profit subsidiary established in 2025 to commercialize Safe technology and drive enterprise adoption, distinct from the non-profit Safe Ecosystem Foundation.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Fireblocks: Institutional digital asset custody and settlement platform offering MPC-based wallet infrastructure and policy engines. Competes in the institutional self-custody segment where Safe also serves DAOs, funds, and enterprises.

Direct peers

• Biconomy: Account abstraction infrastructure platform offering smart accounts, paymasters, and bundlers. Direct competitor in the AA-as-a-service space with overlapping developer tooling and gas-sponsorship primitives.
• Stackup: Account abstraction platform providing ERC-4337 bundler, paymaster, and smart account infrastructure. Competes with Safe{Core} for developer mindshare in the AA tooling stack.
• Sequence: Smart wallet and account abstraction platform built for games and apps, offering embedded wallets with AA features. Competes for developers building consumer-facing applications that need smart account UX.
• Thirdweb: Web3 development platform offering smart wallets, account abstraction, and embedded wallet infrastructure. Overlaps with Safe{Core} SDK as an end-to-end developer platform for smart account integration.
• Particle Network: Account abstraction and chain abstraction infrastructure provider with smart account offerings. Direct competitor in the modular AA tooling category, especially for cross-chain and L2 deployments.
• ZeroDev: Smart account infrastructure provider for account abstraction on Ethereum, co-author of the ERC-7579 standard alongside Safe. Competes directly in the modular smart account and kernel/validator tooling space.
• Argent: Consumer smart contract wallet on StarkNet and Ethereum with multi-sig, social recovery, and account abstraction features. One of the earliest smart wallet products and a category-defining peer for consumer-facing AA UX.

Emerging players

• Turnkey: Embedded wallet and key management infrastructure provider focused on developer-friendly custody primitives. Adjacent to Safe's smart account model, particularly for institutional and embedded-wallet use cases.
• Etherspot: Account abstraction infrastructure offering a modular smart account (EtherspotWallet) with bundler, paymaster, and cross-chain support. Direct technical peer in the AA-as-a-service category serving similar developer audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/safe
• GitHubgithub.com/safe-fndn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/safe-ecosystem-foundation

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Safe Foundation