Optimism's Season 8 Audit Grant Program is live, with over 450,000 OP available to fund audits for Superchain projects through the end of 2025. The program removes financial barriers to security reviews, giving teams access to top-tier audits without compromising their development timeline. If you're building on Optimism, reach out to us. We'll help you apply for a fully subsidized audit through the program.|

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We're proud to be one of the audit firms approved by the Optimism Grants Council, selected for our experience across L2s, cryptographic systems, and rollup infrastructure.

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Why Optimism's approach is different

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Season 8 marks a strategic shift. Optimism is prioritizing projects that increase interoperability across the Superchain, whether through moving TVL into interop-compatible formats, building applications that generate cross-chain transactions, or creating tooling that enables adoption.

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This focus on interop-ready systems introduces architectural complexity that traditional audit approaches often miss. Shared security models, cross-domain message passing, and standardized token bridges create new attack surfaces that require specialized review.

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Grants are available for teams that:

• Build or deploy on Optimism or the Superchain
• Launch features that grow adoption or increase TVL
• Create tooling or integrations that benefit the ecosystem
• Upgrade contracts or introduce interop-ready architecture
• Move existing TVL into compatible formats

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The Grants Council is selective. In Cycle 41, only 2 of 12 applications were approved, with reviewers prioritizing open-source projects that subsidize part of their audit costs and contribute novel code to the ecosystem.

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What to expect from the process

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Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis with upcoming decision dates on October 2, October 23, November 13, and December 4. Each review cycle takes about 15 business days from submission to final decision.

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To apply, reach out to us directly. We'll work with you to complete the application and submit it to the Grants Council on your behalf.

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Projects that are open source, Superchain-aligned, and willing to contribute part of the audit cost are more likely to be approved. The full Cycle 41 results offer helpful insight into what reviewers are prioritizing.

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What interop-ready systems need from audits

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Auditing for the Superchain is not the same as auditing a standalone protocol. Interoperability introduces dependencies on shared infrastructure, cross-chain messaging protocols, and standardized token representations. Edge cases emerge at the boundaries between systems, not just within individual contracts.

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A strong audit for interop-ready architecture should evaluate system behavior across multiple chains, validate cross-domain message handling, and identify risks introduced by shared security assumptions.

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Look for firms that have experience with L2 architectures and cross-domain interactions, work directly with developers throughout the audit process rather than treating it as a one-off task, and can communicate clearly while adapting to fast-moving roadmaps.

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Why teams choose Nethermind Security

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Nethermind Security is known for its deep expertise in Ethereum, rollups, and cryptographic systems. Our team has helped secure projects like zkSync, Worldcoin, and Pimlico through audits focused on both technical depth and practical integration risk.

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We've also contributed to rollup infrastructure development through projects like Surge, which informs how we evaluate systems at both the protocol and application layers.

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Here's how we work:

• We collaborate directly with your team throughout the audit
• We prioritize business logic and integration behavior, not just bugs
• We provide layered reviews at a sustainable pace
• We align our process with your roadmap and post-launch goals

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In practice, this means flexible review timelines that match your development pace, targeted follow-ups after upgrades, and ongoing support as your architecture evolves.

Since 2022, we've audited more than 200,000 lines of code and uncovered over 1,700 vulnerabilities across L2s and zk systems preparing for mainnet.

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Why now

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The Superchain is expanding quickly. Projects that act early will be better positioned to scale securely and take advantage of the adoption momentum Optimism is driving through interoperability.

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The audit grant program is open now, and cycles are already underway. If you're planning a launch or upgrade, this is the right time to get a funded audit with a partner who understands cross-chain architecture end to end.

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Apply to the Optimism Season 8 Grant Program and list Nethermind Security as your preferred auditor.

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Need guidance on scope or eligibility? Contact our team. We've supported multiple teams through grant-funded audit processes and can help you understand what reviewers prioritize.