Ethereum Foundation Launches $1 Million Audit Subsidy Program

Smart contracts secure growing volumes of on-chain assets, making code reviews critical because exploited vulnerabilities can produce irreversible losses. Yet professional audits remain prohibitively expensive for many early-stage developers. The Ethereum Foundation’s subsidy scheme is part of its broader Trillion Dollar Security initiative, which seeks to strengthen Ethereum’s defenses as the network supports more complex applications and greater economic value.

The Ethereum Foundation unveiled the $1 million Audit Subsidy Program on April 14, 2026, offering selected projects support worth up to 30% of their audit costs. The initiative uses Areta’s platform to connect builders with more than 20 security firms, while partners including Nethermind and Chainlink Labs help evaluate applications. Projects of any size or development stage building on Ethereum mainnet may apply, with new cohorts selected monthly.