Safe

Organization Name – Safe

Category – Security & Identity

About

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Safe, formerly known as Gnosis Safe, is a pioneering smart account infrastructure that has redefined digital asset management on Ethereum and other EVM-compatible networks. Launched in 2018, Safe emer…ged from Gnosis as a secure, modular, and programmable alternative to traditional externally owned accounts (EOAs). EOAs rely on a single private key, posing risks of loss or theft, whereas Safe’s smart accounts utilize smart contracts to enable advanced features like multi-signature authorization, transaction batching, and customizable access controls.   

At the core of Safe’s architecture is the Safe Smart Account, a modular and extensible smart contract account designed to serve as the standard core utilized in all smart contract-based wallets and applications. These accounts support modules that execute transactions using alternative access patterns, allowing for complex execution logic and fine-grained access management. For instance, users can define modules that facilitate account recovery under specific circumstances or set daily transaction limits for certain operations. This flexibility ensures that Safe Smart Accounts can adapt to various user needs, from individual users to large organizations.   

Safe’s commitment to security is evident in its rigorous auditing and formal verification processes. Since its inception, Safe’s smart contracts have passed the highest possible security standards in the industry, including formal verification. The platform has also established a $1 million bug bounty program to incentivize the discovery and reporting of potential vulnerabilities. As a result, Safe has become the most trusted smart account wallet on Ethereum, securing over $100 billion in assets across more than 8 million smart accounts deployed on over 100 EVM networks.  

To facilitate user interaction with Safe Smart Accounts, the platform offers Safe{Wallet}, a user-friendly interface that allows individuals and organizations to manage their digital assets securely. Safe{Wallet} supports features like counterfactual deployment, transaction simulation, risk assessment, and social recovery, making it accessible to both novice and experienced users. The wallet is open-source and operates under the GNU General Public License, Version 3, ensuring transparency and community-driven development.  

Developers can leverage Safe{Core}, an open-source and modular account abstraction stack that provides essential tooling and infrastructure for integrating Safe Smart Accounts into digital platforms. Safe{Core} includes a Software Development Kit (SDK) and Application Programming Interface (API) that abstract the complexity of operating smart contract accounts, enabling developers to build secure and flexible applications with ease. The SDK offers features like multi-factor authentication, secure account recovery, and seamless integration with existing ecosystem tools. 

Recognizing the challenges of liquidity fragmentation and cross-chain transactions in decentralized finance (DeFi), Safe introduced Safenet in December 2024. Safenet is a decentralized transaction processor network designed to scale DeFi and move the $100 trillion global economy onchain by solving liquidity fragmentation and enabling instant, secure cross-chain transactions. Unlike traditional blockchains or Layer 2 solutions, Safenet operates as a transaction processing network that works on top of any existing or future chain, connecting on-chain and off-chain networks like Visa and centralized exchanges.  

Safenet’s architecture comprises Processors and a Liquidity Network. Processors act as execution nodes, issuing resource-locks on user accounts to ensure asset availability, executing user transactions using external liquidity, and providing execution guarantees, including security checks and user-defined policies. The Liquidity Network aggregates existing DeFi primitives like decentralized exchanges, lending markets, and other liquidity sources to provide the required liquidity for Processors to service users. This design enables users to transact across blockchains with unprecedented speed and security, without needing to worry about the underlying infrastructure.   

To ensure the security and decentralization of Safenet, the SAFE token underpins its economic model. Processors and validators must stake SAFE tokens to participate in the network, aligning incentives across the ecosystem. Validators monitor the activity of processors and can trigger challenges if any transactions are triggered maliciously or not in compliance with user-set policies. This staking mechanism ensures that faulty actions within Safenet can be flagged with higher confidence, enhancing the network’s overall security. 

Governance of the Safe ecosystem is managed by SafeDAO, a decentralized autonomous organization that oversees the development and direction of the platform. SAFE token holders can participate in governance votes to shape the future of Safe, including proposed features, upgrades, and partnerships. The SAFE token allocation is meticulously organized to balance the interests of different community members, with a circulation cap set at 1 billion SAFE tokens and a timeline for complete distribution targeted for 2030. 

Safe’s vision extends beyond digital asset management to encompass the broader concept of digital ownership. By building universal and open contract standards for the custody of digital assets, data, and identity, Safe aims to bring digital ownership of accounts to everyone. This mission is supported by the Safe Ecosystem Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Zug, Switzerland, that helps educate people about Safe smart accounts and promotes Safe technology through grants and other forms of funding.  

In summary, Safe has established itself as a critical infrastructure in the Ethereum ecosystem, providing secure, flexible, and user-friendly solutions for digital asset management. Through its innovative smart account architecture, developer tools, and commitment to decentralization, Safe is paving the way for a future where digital ownership is accessible to all.  Read More