Bank-Grade Smart Accounts
for Institutions
Closing the trillion-dollar security gap: institutional controls on public Ethereum. The Ethereum Foundation has called for trillion-dollar-grade security to enable institutional adoption—we provide the authorization infrastructure to make it possible. Multi-level approvals, real-time compliance screening, and comprehensive audit trails built for financial institutions.
The Institutional Infrastructure Gap
Sequential Approval Layers
Operations → Compliance → Executive. Each level must complete before the next begins. Not parallel approval—staged review with isolation between layers.
Independent Isolation
Each level operates separately. Breach of operations doesn't compromise compliance credentials. Breach of Level 2 doesn't give access to Level 3.
Amount-Based Security
Same account handles $1,000 and $10M with appropriate thresholds. $5k needs 2 approvals, $5M needs 9 approvals across 3 levels.
Sequential Approval Architecture
Defense in depth: transactions progress through isolated approval layers sequentially. Each level must complete before the next begins.
Level 1: Operations
Day-to-day review
Operations staff approval with maker-checker workflows
Time-Locked Progression
Review window
Fraud detection window between levels
Level 2: Compliance
External providers
Independent compliance review (Chainalysis, Elliptic)
Level 3: Executive
C-suite authorization
Final executive approval for high-value transactions
Execution
Transaction executes
Final settlement on Ethereum after all levels complete
Level 1: Operations
Day-to-day review
Operations staff approval with maker-checker workflows
Time-Locked Progression
Review window
Fraud detection window between levels
Level 2: Compliance
External providers
Independent compliance review (Chainalysis, Elliptic)
Level 3: Executive
C-suite authorization
Final executive approval for high-value transactions
Execution
Transaction executes
Final settlement on Ethereum after all levels complete
Level 1: Operations
Day-to-day review
Operations staff approval with maker-checker workflows
Time-Locked Progression
Review window
Fraud detection window between levels
Level 2: Compliance
External providers
Independent compliance review (Chainalysis, Elliptic)
Level 3: Executive
C-suite authorization
Final executive approval for high-value transactions
Execution
Transaction executes
Final settlement on Ethereum after all levels complete
Independent checkpoints verify every transaction
Risk-based fraud investigation delays
Real-time OFAC/AML compliance screening
Why Institutions Need Different Architecture Than Standard Multisig
Standard multisig serves consumer wallets and DAOs well. But regulated financial flows require different architecture: sequential approval layers, independent isolation, and amount-based thresholds.
Sequential Review
Regulated flows need staged approval: operations → compliance → executive. Not parallel signers—sequential layers where Level N must complete before Level N+1 begins.
- • Operations reviews first
- • Compliance reviews second (after operations completes)
- • Executive reviews third (after compliance completes)
- • Each level operates independently
Independent Isolation
Banks require checkpoints where breach of one doesn't compromise others. Operations staff can't access compliance credentials. Level 2 breach doesn't give access to Level 3.
- • Each level has separate credentials
- • Compromise operations ≠ compromise compliance
- • Different organizations per level
- • Isolation prevents cascade failures
Amount-Based Rules
Institutional controls require different security for $1,000 vs $10M. Same account adapts: $5k needs 2 approvals, $5M needs 9 approvals across 3 levels.
- • Dynamic thresholds based on transaction value
- • More approvals for higher amounts
- • Additional levels for high-value transactions
- • Configurable per institution
These aren't flaws in standard multisig—they're different design goals.
Standard multisig serves consumer wallets and DAOs perfectly. But banks need defense in depth: sequential layers, isolation, and amount-based thresholds. Learn why →
Learn how banks actually secure high-value transactions →What's Missing from Current Blockchain Infrastructure
While early tokenization efforts are underway, scaling to institutional volumes requires banking-grade authorization that general-purpose multisig solutions aren't designed to provide. These gaps aren't flaws—they reflect different design goals.
| Feature | Safe / Standard Multisig | 1TrillionSecurity |
|---|---|---|
| N-of-M threshold signing | ✓ | ✓ |
| On-chain transaction history | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sequential approval layers | ✗ | ✓ |
| Independent isolation between levels | ✗ | ✓ |
| Amount-based dynamic thresholds | ✗ | ✓ |
| Time-locked progression between levels | ✗ | ✓ |
| Veto power at any level | ✗ | ✓ |
Why General-Purpose Multisig Isn't Enough for Regulated Flows
Standard multisig architectures (including Safe) treat all signers as equal participants with immediate execution once thresholds are met. This design serves consumer wallets and DAO governance well—but regulated financial flows require role hierarchies, pre-execution compliance screening, and configurable time delays.
These capabilities demand fundamentally different architectural primitives. Our solution implements institutional requirements at the protocol level, enabling banks to meet regulatory obligations while using public Ethereum settlement.
Real-World Transaction Flows
Example: $50M Wire Transfer to Offshore Vendor
A step-by-step walkthrough showing how institutional controls prevent fraud while enabling efficient operations:
Operations Clerk Initiates (Maker)
Submits transaction details: amount, recipient, purpose. Transaction enters pending state.
Manager Approves (Checker)
Reviews amount, recipient details, and business justification. Cannot be the same person who initiated.
Compliance Screening (Automatic)
OFAC sanctions check against recipient. AML risk scoring. Flags high-risk jurisdictions.
24-Hour Delay Window
High-value transaction triggers mandatory review period. Fraud team can investigate. Transaction can be cancelled if suspicious.
CFO Final Authorization
Senior executive reviews high-value transfer. Confirms business necessity. Provides final approval.
Wire Executes with Full Audit Trail
Transaction settles on-chain. Complete record of all approvals, screening results, and timing logged for regulatory examination.
Requires sequential approval architecture
Standard multisig executes immediately once threshold is met—all signers approve in parallel. This workflow needs sequential layers: operations completes before compliance begins, compliance completes before executive reviews.
Asset Management
$25M USDC purchase for treasury allocation
Portfolio manager initiates buy order → Compliance verifies no sanctioned counterparties → Senior trader approves execution price → 2-hour review window for risk committee → CFO authorizes if allocation exceeds threshold → Trade settles with complete attribution for Form PF reporting.
Custody Services
$100M client withdrawal request
Client requests withdrawal via authenticated portal → Custody ops verifies request authenticity → Compliance screens recipient wallet (no prior sanctions flags) → Senior custody officer approves → 24-hour fraud review → Withdrawal executes to whitelisted address with full audit trail for client reporting.
Payroll & Vendor Payments
$5M monthly contractor payroll in stablecoins
HR uploads payment batch (500 recipients) → Finance verifies amounts match approved invoices → Compliance screens all 500 recipient wallets → Any flags trigger manual review → Batch executes with individual attribution for each payment → Export to accounting system (QuickBooks/SAP format).
DeFi Protocol Operations
$200M liquidity pool rebalancing
Protocol treasury manager proposes moving $200M between Aave/Compound → Risk team models exposure limits → Compliance verifies protocol contracts (audited, no sanctions) → Multi-sig governance (5-of-9) approves → 48-hour timelock for community review → Rebalance executes with gas optimization.
Multi-Level Sequential Approval for Institutions
The first blockchain account architecture that implements banking-grade defense in depth: isolated approval layers, amount-based thresholds, and time-locked progression.
Sequential Approval Layers
Feature 1
Configurable chain of independent checkpoints. Operations → Compliance → Executive. Each level must complete before the next begins. Not parallel signers—staged review with isolation between layers.
• Level N must complete before Level N+1
• Each level has separate signers and credentials
• Configurable 1-10 levels per account
Amount-Based Dynamic Configuration
Feature 2
Same account adapts based on transaction value. $5k needs 2 approvals at Level 1. $5M needs 9 approvals across 3 levels. Automatic routing through appropriate approval path.
• Dynamic thresholds per transaction amount
• More approvals for higher values
• Additional levels for high-value transactions
Time-Locked Progression
Feature 3
Review windows between levels for fraud detection. After Level 1 reaches quorum → wait 2 hours → Level 2 can begin. Provides breathing room for monitoring systems and compliance review.
• Configurable delays per level (0-72 hours)
• Fraud detection window
• Cancellation possible during delay
Veto Power at Any Level
Feature 4
Any signer at any level can immediately cancel the transaction. Not just waiting for threshold—explicit deny capability. If anyone denies, transaction stops immediately regardless of previous approvals.
• Explicit deny at any level
• Immediate cancellation
• Active review vs passive waiting