With my background as a security engineer, I founded River five years ago to be the most secure place to hold Bitcoin in the United States. Security and privacy are at River’s core – we are paranoid about security and risk management, thinking through every long-tail risk and threat vector.

As we further that commitment to security, I’m pleased to announce that we have successfully achieved SOC 1 Type II and SOC 2 Type II compliance. These certifications are important to business and institutional clients, who are onboarding at River and expressing interest in holding Bitcoin on their corporate balance sheets at a rapidly accelerating pace.

At River, we are on a mission to champion an honest and robust financial system by accelerating the adoption of Bitcoin, the world’s only incorruptible digital currency.

We pride ourselves on being the best place for people and businesses in the United States to confidently buy, sell, transact, and of course, custody Bitcoin. We do this while delivering unmatched client service, delightful user experiences, and accessible content and education. We aim to be at the forefront of Bitcoin technology and innovation.

But at the end of the day, nothing is more important than security. This is especially true in Bitcoin.

There’s the Silicon Valley adage of “move fast and break things.” We are not that. Yes we are a high-growth startup and we move fast, but not at the cost of anything breaking. River is a financial institution and we will never compromise on the foundation: the security of our systems and controls.

Achieving SOC 1 and 2 compliance as a financial institution is no small task. It requires consistent rigor in daily processes and significant work from our team and auditor. I am proud of everyone involved, but I’m most proud of the entire River team for holding security to the highest standard in everything we do.

Certifications are nice to have – they are an external stamp of approval. That said, a culture of security and risk management, like the one we have at River, is the real gold standard. As we work towards a brighter Bitcoin future, we will continue to be paranoid so that our clients don’t need to.

If you are a business interested in adding Bitcoin to your balance sheet, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at business@river.com. You can also learn more about our approach to security here. 

Alex

River CEO and Paranoid Security Engineer