Fireblocks
Fireblocks is a Bitcoin company in the Infrastructure category, founded in 2018 by Michael Shaulov, Idan Ofrat, Pavel Berengoltz.
The Idea
Enterprise-grade custody and transaction management for institutional digital assets. Fireblocks is a 'wallet-as-a-service' platform that enables financial institutions to securely hold, manage, and transact digital assets.
Early Traction
Founders Michael Shaulov, Idan Ofrat, and Pavel Berengoltz came out of cybersecurity firm Check Point, where in 2017 they were sent to investigate a South Korean exchange hack that lost roughly $200M and realized institutions had no safe way to move digital assets. Fireblocks emerged from stealth in 2019 with a $16M round (backers included Fidelity International's investment arm) and won over banks and exchanges with MPC-based wallets that split private keys so they never sit in one place, plus a network for secure institutional transfers.
Peak Stats
$8B valuation (2022). Secures $200B+ in institutional digital assets. Clients include major banks, asset managers, and investment firms.
Status Today
Active. Continuing to grow with institutional demand for digital asset services.
Why It Matters
Fireblocks became one of the leading providers of enterprise digital asset custody and transfer infrastructure. Its rise is emblematic of how digital asset infrastructure is being integrated into traditional finance workflows.