January 24 — Blockchain security firm CertiK is weighing an initial public offering (IPO) with a target valuation of approximately $2 billion. CertiK co-founder Ronghui Gu — an associate professor of computer science at Columbia University — told reporters in a Davos interview this week that while no specific IPO timeline has been set, the move is a clear goal for the company. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in New York, CertiK specializes in smart contract audits and security services for blockchain projects. Gu noted the firm has served over 5,000 clients, with its audited code safeguarding roughly $6 trillion in assets. CertiK’s last funding round was its 2022 Series B3, led by Insight Partners, Tiger Global, and Advent International. The round valued the company at $2 billion and raised $88 million. Gu added Binance was CertiK’s earliest and largest financial backer, with other investors including Coinbase and SoftBank. Earlier this month, CertiK also announced a strategic partnership with YZi Labs — a family office linked to Binance founder CZ. Gu revealed Binance recently made a “tens of millions of dollars” investment in the firm.
