Salus
Salus is a Web3 security firm founded in 2022 providing smart contract audits, penetration testing, and zero-knowledge solutions to blockchain projects, DeFi protocols, and dApp developers. Backed by Binance and tier-one investors with 300+ clients served.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersPalo Alto, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Salus does
Salus is a Web3 security firm founded in 2022 and incorporated as Salus Holding LTD in the Cayman Islands, with operating presence in Palo Alto. The company provides three core professional services: smart contract auditing using a Proof of Concept methodology with threat modeling and line-by-line code review; Web3 penetration testing using a red-team approach across network, cloud, web, and mobile attack surfaces with a focus on combined Web2/Web3 middleware; and Zero-Knowledge Solutions covering consultation, circuit design, development, integration, and deployment for EVM-compatible applications. Salus claims a 100% penetration testing success rate and zero exploit incidents across 300+ projects and supports a broad range of ecosystems including Ethereum, Arbitrum, BNB, Polygon, Avalanche, Optimism, BTC, TON, Solana, NEAR, Aptos, Sui, EOS, Polkadot, and Starknet.
The company's revenue model is professional services-based with project-by-project pricing; ZK Solutions are structured into budget tiers of $30K-$50K, $50K-$100K, and $100K+. Customer acquisition runs through direct enterprise sales via website inquiry forms, supplemented by the Salus Sentinels Network partnership program that channels referrals from VCs, development firms, PR/marketing companies, IDO/IEO platforms, protocols, and accelerators. Primary customer segments are Web3 projects including DeFi protocols, L1/L2 blockchain projects, dApp developers, and token projects, with a secondary segment of cryptocurrency exchanges and DeFi platforms requiring combined Web2/Web3 security assessments. The company operates as a decentralized organization and is backed by Binance and other tier-one investors.
Salus has established a deep partnership footprint with Binance Labs (as security partner of the Binance ecosystem), the Ethereum Foundation's Privacy and Security Explorations team, Sequoia, 0xPARC, Starknet, and Linea, among others. Strategic emphasis on academic-style research is reflected in publications on Recursive SNARKs and AI x Blockchain topics on the Ethereum Research Forum and collaboration with Harvard University. Marketing channels include the company blog, Twitter/X, Telegram, GitHub open-source contributions (including Salus-audit), a Substack newsletter, and industry events.
Salus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Salus
- Legal name
- Salus Holding LTD
- Website
- https://www.salusec.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Salus is a Web3 security firm founded in 2022 providing smart contract audits, penetration testing, and zero-knowledge solutions to blockchain projects, DeFi protocols, and dApp developers. Backed by Binance and tier-one investors with 300+ clients served.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Salus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Blockchain Security Services
- NAICS
- Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) (561621)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Smart Contract Security Tooling (static/dynamic analysis, formal verification) (FSAPABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Third-Party/Vendor Risk Management (TPRM) & Due Diligence (BPAKADAH)
Keywords
Where Salus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Palo Alto
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Salus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Smart Contract Audit Services: Professional audit services for smart contracts including threat modeling, business logic auditing, arithmetic verification, and comprehensive vulnerability assessment. Revenue is generated on a project-by-project basis with pricing varying by scope and complexity.
- Web3 Penetration Testing: Network, cloud, web application, and mobile application penetration testing services for Web3 projects. Includes middleware security and anti-tampering assessments for combined Web2/blockchain applications. Priced based on scope and complexity.
- Zero-Knowledge Solutions: End-to-end ZK solutions including business consultation, strategic customization, circuit design and development, and integration and deployment. Services offered in budget tiers ranging from $30K to $50K, $50K to $100K, and $100K and above.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Others | Multi-year contract | ZK Solution Budget Tiers |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Salus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Salus is a Web3 security firm that delivers three core professional services: Smart Contract Audits using a Proof of Concept methodology with line-by-line code review and threat modeling, Web3 Penetration Testing with a red-team approach across network, cloud, web, and mobile surfaces, and Zero-Knowledge Solutions spanning consultation, circuit design, integration, and deployment for EVM-compatible chains. The firm sells project-based audit engagements to Web3 projects including DeFi protocols, L1/L2 chains, dApps, and token projects, with pricing customized by scope and complexity.
Product overview
Salus offers a unified portfolio of three Web3 security services: Smart Contract Audit (line-by-line code review with threat modeling and PoC validation), Web3 Penetration Testing (red-team testing covering network, cloud, web apps, and mobile apps, with focus on front-end and middleware security), and Zero-Knowledge Solutions (end-to-end ZK circuit design, development, and deployment for EVM-compatible chains). The three services are designed to work together, covering both Web3 blockchain-layer and Web2 middleware/application-layer security for clients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Smart Contract Audit Industry-leading smart contract audit service that uses a Proof of Concept methodology, threat modeling, and line-by-line code audits to maximize vulnerability discovery across the widest coverage scope. Targets DeFi protocols, L1/L2 chains, dApps, and token projects preparing for deployment or major upgrades.
- Web3 Penetration Testing Red-team penetration testing service covering network, cloud, web application, and mobile application security, with additional middleware security and anti-tampering assessment for combined Web2 and blockchain applications. Designed for Web3 projects that need front-end and middleware security coverage alongside on-chain audits.
- Zero-Knowledge Solutions Comprehensive zero-knowledge solution covering business consultation, strategic customization, circuit design and development, and integration and deployment for EVM-compatible applications. Enables ZK privacy and scaling upgrades on any Solidity-supported chain without requiring migration to a new chain.
Quantifiable outcome
- Supported ecosystems include EVM chains (Ethereum, Arbitrum, BNB, Polygon, AVAX, Optimism), BTC, TON, Solana, NEAR, Aptos, Sui, EOS, Polkadot, Starknet
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Salus
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Salus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Salus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
23 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Ethereum FoundationcoreCollaborated with the Ethereum Foundation's Privacy and Security Explorations (PSE) team on ZK security standards development and various ZK and AI initiatives.
- SequoiacoreCollaborated on AI x Blockchain research initiatives, contributing to Ethereum research forum publications exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology.
- 0xPARCcorePartnered on ZK research including the development of zk-bug-tracker contributions and proof vulnerability analysis. Salus added a new ZK vulnerability type to the zk-bug-tracker library.
- LineamajorCollaborated with Linea on ZK initiatives including Dark Pool development (Salus x Lynex), representing the largest ZK projects on the Linea ecosystem.
- StarknetmajorPartnered with Starknet as one of the largest ZK projects, collaborating on ZK circuit development and security standards.
- MarketAcrossmajorMarketing and PR partner providing blockchain ecosystem growth services. Testimonial from Founder Elad Mor describes outstanding collaboration experience with Salus for smart contract auditing and penetration testing.
- ConsensysmajorTechnology partner in the blockchain ecosystem, listed among major partnerships and collaborations.
- ArbitrummajorEcosystem partner supporting Arbitrum blockchain projects with security audit services.
- PolyhedramajorZK bridge project secured by Salus with multiple audit reports completed for ecdsa circuits, liquidity bridge, zkBridgeV2, token standards, and Bitcoin oracle.
- Solv ProtocolmajorDeFi protocol secured by Salus with audits for solv token, solvBTC, stUSD, vault guardian, open-end fund business, and time-locked ERC20 containers.
- LifeformmajorDigital identity project with LFT token audited by Salus.
- AnkrmajorBlockchain infrastructure provider partnered with Salus for security audit services.
- Hooked ProtocolmajorSocialDeFi protocol with multiple audits completed for release contracts, stHookV2, and Hooktopia.
- Ink FinancemajorDeFi protocol with incremental audits completed for QuillToken and various smart contracts.
- GoPlusmajorSecurity service partner providing user-oriented security services. Founder Mike describes Salus as a valuable and trusted partner for comprehensive audit services.
- GitcoinminorBlockchain ecosystem funding and grants platform partner.
- GalxeminorWeb3 credentials platform partner.
- Harvard UniversityminorAcademic research collaboration partner in the blockchain security ecosystem.
- OptimismmajorLayer 2 ecosystem partner on Optimism network.
- Manta NetworkmajorModular ecosystem partner for ZK projects.
- Bounce BitmajorBTC restaking infrastructure secured by Salus within the Binance ecosystem.
- Lista DAOmajorDeFi liquidity layer audited for Lista token, PSM, AMO, emission, and token emission contracts.
- Lorenzo ProtocolmajorBTCfi protocol with multiple audits including FBTC-Vault, stBTC bridge, StakePlan, TGE, ListaEarn, Airdrop, and Earn Manager.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Salus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Trail of Bits: Trail of Bits is a leading blockchain and software security firm offering smart contract audits, cryptography research, and penetration testing — directly comparable to Salus's core audit and pentest services.
- OpenZeppelin: OpenZeppelin is a premier smart contract security and tooling provider, offering audit services and security libraries for EVM projects — overlapping directly with Salus's smart contract audit product.
- CertiK: CertiK is a large Web3 security firm specializing in smart contract audits and formal verification, with a comparable service portfolio to Salus and significant penetration across DeFi and L1 projects.
- Quantstamp: Quantstamp provides smart contract security audits and has been a long-standing audit partner for major DeFi protocols — a direct competitor in Web3 security services.
- Zellic: Zellic is a security firm focused on smart contract audits and ZK circuit security, with research-led positioning highly comparable to Salus's audit and ZK services.
- ChainSecurity: ChainSecurity (acquired by PwC) provides formal verification and smart contract audits for blockchain protocols, overlapping with Salus's audit methodology and enterprise client base.
- Hacken: Hacken offers Web3 smart contract audits, penetration testing, and bug bounty services — directly comparable to Salus's full-stack Web3 security offering.
- Spearbit: Spearbit is a security audit network focused on competitive audit tournaments for DeFi protocols, with a research-driven, talent-led model similar to Salus's positioning.
Regional players
- SlowMist: SlowMist is a major blockchain security firm primarily serving the Asia-Pacific ecosystem with smart contract audits and threat intelligence — competitive overlap with Salus in APAC markets.
Broad incumbents
- Consensys Diligence: Consensys Diligence is the audit arm of Consensys, a broad incumbent in Web3 infrastructure offering smart contract security services alongside development tools and enterprise solutions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Salus social profiles
Digital presenceSalus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Salus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Salus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Salus M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Salus
What does Salus do?
Salus is a Web3 security firm that delivers three core professional services: Smart Contract Audits using a Proof of Concept methodology with line-by-line code review and threat modeling, Web3 Penetration Testing with a red-team approach across network, cloud, web, and mobile surfaces, and Zero-Knowledge Solutions spanning consultation, circuit design, integration, and deployment for EVM-compatible chains. The firm sells project-based audit engagements to Web3 projects including DeFi protocols, L1/L2 chains, dApps, and token projects, with pricing customized by scope and complexity.
Is Salus a public or private company?
Salus is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Salus founded?
Salus was founded in 2022. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Salus based?
Salus is headquartered in Palo Alto, United States, in the North America region.
How does Salus make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Smart Contract Audit Services are the primary driver. The others are web3 Penetration Testing and zero-Knowledge Solutions.
Who are Salus's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Trail of Bits, OpenZeppelin, CertiK, Quantstamp, Zellic, ChainSecurity, Hacken and Spearbit. SlowMist is listed as a regional player. Consensys Diligence is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Salus have an API?
No public API is recorded for Salus.
What industry is Salus in?
Salus's product category is Blockchain Security Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAPABAI, Smart Contract Security Tooling (static/dynamic analysis, formal verification), with a secondary code of BPAKADAH, Third-Party/Vendor Risk Management (TPRM) & Due Diligence. Its NAICS code is 541511 and its SIC code is 7370.