[PRESS RELEASE – Miami, FL, May 29th, 2025]

Everstake, a leading global non-custodial staking provider for retail and institutional clients, has successfully achieved SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001:2022 certifications, and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) compliance, further solidifying its commitment to the highest security and regulatory standards. The independent audit was conducted by Prescient Security, a global leader in cybersecurity.

Institutional investors rank security and compliance as the top barriers to staking adoption — with over 61% willing to pay extra for peace of mind. Everstake’s latest certifications directly address these concerns — ensuring that its infrastructure meets the highest global standards for security and data protection while remaining accessible to everyone.

SOC 2 Type II certification validates that Everstake maintains high levels of operational integrity, data confidentiality, and system availability. Unlike Type I audits, SOC 2 Type II involves continuous evaluation of systems over time, making it one of the most rigorous benchmarks in enterprise-grade cybersecurity.

Prescient Security’s audit concluded that Everstake’s Information Security Management System (ISMS) is generally compliant with the requirements of ISO/IEC 27001:2022, demonstrating the organization’s maturity, ongoing development, and its ability to safeguard client data, mitigate risks, and uphold operational resilience.

Meanwhile, GDPR compliance guarantees that Everstake adheres to the strictest data privacy protocols, reinforcing trust among users in the European Union, European Economic Area, and the United Kingdom.

“Achieving SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001:2022 certifications along with GDPR compliance marks a critical milestone for Everstake and stands as a testament to our commitment to institutional-grade security and transparency,” said Bohdan Opryshko, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer at Everstake. “Institutional investors demand the highest level of protection when staking assets, and these certifications provide them with the confidence that Everstake meets globally recognized security standards.”

“By achieving compliance with SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and GDPR standards, Everstake demonstrates a strong commitment to security and risk management. These frameworks require rigorous testing and validation of internal controls, ensuring that our systems meet the highest standards of operational integrity and data protection. This proactive approach enhances our security posture and supports broader institutional adoption of staking by addressing regulatory and compliance expectations. Our team remains focused on continuous control monitoring, improvement, and adherence to industry best practices to establish new standards for secure and compliant staking services,” said Denys Avierin, Chief Information Officer at Everstake.

The full certification reports are available upon request.

About Prescient Security:

A Global Top 20 Independent Audit and Penetration Testing Company, Prescient Security delivers unparalleled quality in audits, attestations, and certifications to ensure excellence and client success. Using a Risk-Based Audit Approach versus a Requirement-Based Audit Approach, paired with the ability to customize audit deliverables based on specific client needs, Prescient Security operates from a cybersecurity standpoint first, is comprehensive yet granular, and in a fraction of the time.

About Everstake:

Everstake is a leading global non-custodial staking provider, enabling secure and scalable access to over 85 Proof-of-Stake networks for both institutional and retail clients. Founded in 2018 by blockchain engineers, the company supports more than 735,000 delegators, $6.5 billion in staked assets, and 40,000+ active validators — delivering institutional-grade infrastructure with 99.9% uptime and zero material slashing events since inception.

Trusted by asset managers, custodians, wallets, exchanges, and protocols, Everstake offers API-first, compliant infrastructure backed by SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001:2022 certifications, GDPR compliance, and regular smart contract audits. Its globally distributed team of 100+ professionals is committed to making staking accessible to everyone while strengthening the foundations of decentralized finance.

Everstake is a software platform that provides infrastructure tools and resources for users but does not offer investment advice or investment opportunities, manage funds, facilitate collective investment schemes, provide financial services, or take custody of or otherwise hold or manage customer assets. Everstake does not conduct independent diligence or substantive review of any blockchain asset, digital currency, cryptocurrency, or associated funds. Everstake’s provision of technology services allowing users to stake digital assets is not an endorsement or a recommendation of any digital asset. Users are fully and solely responsible for evaluating whether to stake digital assets.

Christian’s journey with the written word began long before the age of Bitcoin. In the hallowed halls of academia, he honed his craft as a feature writer for his college paper. This early love for storytelling paved the way for a successful stint as an editor at a data engineering firm, where his first-month essay win funded a months-long supply of doggie and kitty treats – a testament to his dedication to his furry companions (more on that later).

Christian then roamed the world of journalism, working at newspapers in Canada and even South Korea. He finally settled down at a local news giant in his hometown in the Philippines for a decade, becoming a total news junkie. But then, something new caught his eye: cryptocurrency. It was like a treasure hunt mixed with storytelling – right up his alley!

So, he landed a killer gig at NewsBTC, where he’s one of the go-to guys for all things crypto. He breaks down this confusing stuff into bite-sized pieces, making it easy for anyone to understand (he salutes his management team for teaching him this skill).

Think Christian’s all work and no play? Not a chance! When he’s not at his computer, you’ll find him indulging his passion for motorbikes. A true gearhead, Christian loves tinkering with his bike and savoring the joy of the open road on his 320-cc Yamaha R3. Once a speed demon who hit 120mph (a feat he vowed never to repeat), he now prefers leisurely rides along the coast, enjoying the wind in his thinning hair.

Speaking of chill, Christian’s got a crew of furry friends waiting for him at home. Two cats and a dog. He swears cats are way smarter than dogs (sorry, Grizzly), but he adores them all anyway. Apparently, watching his pets just chillin’ helps him analyze and write meticulously formatted articles even better.

Here’s the thing about this guy: He works a lot, but he keeps himself fueled by enough coffee to make it through the day – and some seriously delicious (Filipino) food. He says a delectable meal is the secret ingredient to a killer article. And after a long day of crypto crusading, he unwinds with some rum (mixed with milk) while watching slapstick movies.

Looking ahead, Christian sees a bright future with NewsBTC. He says he sees himself privileged to be part of an awesome organization, sharing his expertise and passion with a community he values, and fellow editors – and bosses – he deeply respects.

So, the next time you tread into the world of cryptocurrency, remember the man behind the words – the crypto crusader, the grease monkey, and the feline philosopher, all rolled into one.

Artificial intelligence (AI) project Donut has raised $7 million in pre-seed funding to build its Solana-based agentic crypto browser, a tool that helps users engage with blockchain applications.

The funding round was led by Hongshan (formerly Sequoia CN), BITKRAFT, and HackVC, Donut announced on X on Thursday.

Donut’s AI agent-powered browser includes a native cryptocurrency wallet and interacts with decentralized exchanges (DEXs) and other decentralized networks.

The browser’s AI algorithms process both webpage content and its user’s actions in order to autonomously execute on-chain operations.

In effect, the browser is designed to help its users transact, trade and earn in real time “like [using] a terminal,” according to Donut’s post on X.

AI agents have been hailed as a key to unlocking the potential for blockchain technology. While interacting with smart contract tools, self custody and bridging across different chains may be complex for humans, it is an environment in which AI agent can be built to thrive.