S&P Global to Acquire OpenZeppelin for Onchain Security Expansion

S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI) has entered into an agreement to acquire OpenZeppelin, the security firm whose smart contract library underpins much of onchain finance, the ratings and data company announced in a September 17 press release. The transaction pairs one of the world’s largest financial data and ratings businesses with a firm whose OpenZeppelin Contracts library has supported more than $37 trillion in value transferred, positioning S&P Global to deliver onchain security assessments and benchmarks as capital markets move onchain.

Founded in 2015, OpenZeppelin combines onchain security assessments and secure development services with one of the world’s most widely used open-source smart contract libraries. The company’s technology underlies the majority of the largest stablecoins and tokenized funds, and it has completed more than 900 security engagements that surfaced over 10,000 vulnerabilities before production. OpenZeppelin bills itself as the security standard for onchain finance, relied on by decentralized finance protocols and traditional financial institutions alike. “Our digital assets strategy centers on bringing trusted data, benchmarks and transparent risk assessment to markets as they move onchain,” said Yann Le Pallec, president of S&P Global Ratings.

OpenZeppelin will continue to operate as its own business unit under the OpenZeppelin name, with chief executive Demian Brener staying on to lead the business and reporting to Le Pallec. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, and S&P Global said the acquisition is not expected to have a material impact on its financial results. The deal remains subject to closing conditions. Jefferies LLC served as financial advisor to S&P Global, with Clifford Chance as its legal advisor, while FT Partners and Cooley advised OpenZeppelin.

The acquisition extends S&P Global’s risk assessment capabilities into the onchain technology-risk layer. The firm has been deepening its crypto footprint, including leading a strategic investment in market data provider Kaiko. S&P Global said its trusted brand, institutional relationships, and global distribution will accelerate OpenZeppelin’s reach into traditional finance. OpenZeppelin, for its part, has already worked to bring confidential smart contracts to institutions. “OpenZeppelin’s standards, technology, and expertise already power the infrastructure behind the world’s leading stablecoins, tokenized funds, DeFi protocols, and onchain markets,” Brener said. “With S&P Global, that foundation reaches a broader set of organizations entering this market.”