Smart Contract Auditing and Current Market Trends

AVINASH KUMAR
7 min readSep 14, 2023
Photo by Pierre Borthiry from Unsplash.

While the underlying principles of Web3 make it more secure than Web 2.0 in some respects, like any technology it introduces its share of security risks. Around 3 Billion dollars from Defi in 2022 which accounted for around 6 percent of the total assets locked in Defi was hacked. This just goes on to show the vulnerabilities in the smart contract that are exploited by the hackers.

To make Web3 safe and secure there is still a lot of work to be done and a whole lot relies on smart contract auditors and auditing firms.

  • Current market size: The global blockchain smart contract audit market was valued at USD 684.3 million in 2022.
  • Projected growth: The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 82.2% from 2023 to 2030.
  • Key drivers: The growth of the market is being driven by the increasing adoption of blockchain technology, the growing demand for security and compliance, and the rising popularity of DeFi applications.
  • Key trends: The key trends in the market include the increasing use of automated auditing tools, the growing demand for compliance audits, and the development of new auditing standards.
  • Opportunities: The market is expected to offer significant opportunities for businesses that offer smart contract auditing services.

Some of the factors that are driving the growth of the blockchain smart contract audit market:

  • Increasing adoption of blockchain technology: Blockchain technology is increasingly being adopted by businesses and organizations for a variety of applications, such as finance, supply chain, and healthcare. This is driving the demand for smart contracts, which are computer programs that are stored on a blockchain and can be used to automate transactions.
  • Increased focus on security: As the use of smart contracts grows, there is a growing focus on security. Businesses are increasingly aware of the risks associated with smart contracts and are taking steps to mitigate these risks. This is leading to an increased demand for security auditing services.
  • Rising popularity of DeFi applications: DeFi applications are decentralized financial applications that are built on blockchain technology. These applications are often used to provide financial services, such as lending and borrowing, without the need for a third party. The growing popularity of DeFi applications is driving the demand for smart contract auditing services to ensure that these applications are secure and compliant with regulations.
  • Rise of automated auditing tools: Automated auditing tools are becoming increasingly popular as they can help to improve the efficiency and scalability of the auditing process. These tools can be used to scan smart contract codes for vulnerabilities and identify potential risks.
  • Growing demand for compliance audits: As smart contracts are increasingly used in regulated industries, there is a growing demand for compliance audits. These audits can help to ensure that smart contracts comply with relevant regulations.
  • Increased collaboration between auditors and developers: There is a growing trend of collaboration between auditors and developers. This is because auditors need to understand the code of smart contracts in order to identify vulnerabilities. Developers, on the other hand, need to understand the risks associated with smart contracts in order to mitigate these risks.
  • Development of new auditing standards: As the blockchain industry matures, there is a need for the development of new auditing standards. These standards will help to ensure that smart contract audits are conducted in a consistent and reliable manner.

The key players in the market are constantly innovating and developing new services to meet the needs of their customers. The market is expected to continue to grow in the coming years, driven by the increasing adoption of blockchain technology and the growing demand for security and compliance.

SWOT Analysis of QuillAudits

QuillAudits is a blockchain security auditing firm that provides a variety of services, including security audits, compliance audits, and performance audits.

Strengths:

  • Experienced team of security auditors: QuillAudits has a team of experienced security auditors with a deep understanding of smart contract security. They have a proven track record of finding and fixing vulnerabilities in smart contracts, and they are constantly up-to-date on the latest security threats.
  • Proven track record of auditing smart contracts: QuillAudits has audited over 850 projects, and their work has helped to protect around $30 billion in assets. They have a proven ability to find and fix vulnerabilities in smart contracts, even in complex and sophisticated code.
  • Strong focus on security and compliance: QuillAudits has a strong focus on security and compliance. They follow industry best practices and use a variety of tools and techniques to ensure the security of smart contracts. They also work with clients to ensure that their smart contracts are compliant with relevant regulations.
  • Commitment to transparency and communication: QuillAudits is committed to transparency and communication. They provide detailed audit reports that explain the findings of the audit and recommendations for remediation. They also communicate regularly with clients throughout the audit process.

Weaknesses:

  • Relatively new company — QuillAudits is a relatively new company, having been founded in 2021. This means that they have less experience and brand recognition than some of their competitors. However, they are quickly gaining ground
  • Limited market reach — QuillAudits is currently only available in a limited number of countries. This means that they may not be able to reach all of their potential customers.

Opportunities:

  • Growth potential: The smart contract auditing market is growing rapidly, which could provide QuillAudits with opportunities for growth.
  • Growing demand for blockchain security auditing services — The blockchain smart contract audit market is a rapidly growing and evolving market.
  • Expanding the use of smart contracts in new industries
  • Increased focus on security and compliance by businesses

Threats:

  • Competition from other security auditing firms — With some well-established auditing firms and bug bounties platforms the competition is quite stiff.QuillAudits faces competition from more established companies that have a larger market share and lower prices.
  • Regulatory changes — The regulatory landscape for blockchain and cryptocurrencies is constantly evolving. This could make it difficult for auditors to stay up-to-date on the latest changes, and could also lead to increased uncertainty for clients.

Overall, QuillAudits is a reputable company that offers high-quality smart contract auditing services. They are relatively new, but they have a team of experienced security auditors and a proven track record of success.

Competitive analysis of various other companies :

Here is a competitive analysis of three other companies that offer blockchain smart contract audit services:

Immunefi :

  • Company overview: Immunefi is a bug bounty platform that helps organizations find and fix security vulnerabilities in their smart contracts. The company has a strong track record of helping organizations find and fix security vulnerabilities in their smart contracts.
  • Services: Immunefi offers a variety of services, including bug bounty programs, security audits, and training. The company also has a research team that is constantly working to identify new security vulnerabilities in smart contracts.
  • Customers: Immunefi’s customers include some of the leading blockchain projects in the world, such as Aave, Uniswap, and Compound.
  • Funding: Immunefi has raised over USD 100 million in funding from investors such as Sequoia Capital, Accel, and Paradigm.
  • Market share: Immunefi is one of the leading bug bounty platforms for smart contracts. The company has awarded over USD 10 million in bounties to security researchers.

The company is well-positioned to continue to grow in the rapidly growing blockchain security market.

Trail of Bits :

  • Services: Trail of Bits offers a variety of services, including security audits, compliance audits, and code reviews. The company also has a research team that is constantly working to identify new security vulnerabilities in blockchain technology.
  • Customers: Trail of Bits’ customers include some of the leading blockchain projects in the world, such as Ethereum, Bitcoin, and Zcash.
  • Funding: Trail of Bits has raised over USD 20 million in funding from investors such as Sequoia Capital, Accel, and Khosla Ventures.
  • Market share: Trail of Bits is one of the leading security research and auditing firms for blockchain technology. The company has worked on some of the most high-profile security audits in the blockchain industry.

Spearbit:

  • Company overview: Spearbit is a blockchain security firm. The company was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Singapore.
  • Services: Spearbit offers a variety of services, including security audits, compliance audits, and training. The company also has a research team that is constantly working to identify new security vulnerabilities in blockchain technology.
  • Customers: Spearbit’s customers include some of the leading blockchain projects in the world, such as Binance Smart Chain, DODO, and Astar Network.
  • Funding: Spearbit has raised over USD 1 million in funding from investors such as Hashkey Capital and Spartan Capital.
  • Market share: Spearbit is a relatively new company, but it is quickly gaining a reputation as a leading blockchain security firm. The company has worked on some of the most high-profile security audits in the blockchain industry.

The market for blockchain smart contract audit services is still in its early stages, but it is growing rapidly. The key players in the market are offering a variety of services and are competing on price, expertise, and reputation. The market is expected to continue to grow in the coming years, driven by the increasing adoption of blockchain technology and the growing demand for security and compliance.

--

--