StopDownOpen the app

Analysis · Financial Services

Dr. Sharmila leads research on secure digital asset custody systems at Liminal Custody

By ·

Date
Company
Liminal Custody
What it does
digital asset custody infrastructure
Kind
Analysis
Sector
Financial Services

What they do

Liminal Custody builds institutional-grade custody infrastructure for digital assets using advanced cryptographic techniques

What happened

Dr

Why it matters

Sharmila focuses on cryptographic agility and zero-trust models to secure digital assets in a decentralized environment; the company addresses challenges…

The details

  • Liminal Custody is developing institutional-grade custody infrastructure for digital assets, focusing on cryptographic security and distributed systems.
  • Dr. Sharmila, Principal Scientist and Head of Research & Development at Liminal Custody, leads the development of secure custody systems for digital assets.
  • Her work bridges academic cryptography with real-world financial security, applying concepts like multiparty computation and threshold cryptography.
  • Digital asset custody must function under a 'zero-trust' model, assuming adversarial conditions and avoiding single points of trust.
  • Liminal Custody ensures long-term security through cryptographic agility, allowing systems to upgrade algorithms without dismantling infrastructure.
  • The company is preparing for the transition to post-quantum cryptography, which will require rethinking how cryptographic primitives integrate with distributed key management frameworks.
  • Real-world deployment of cryptographic protocols involves collaboration between researchers, engineers, and security auditors to ensure resilience.
  • Dr. Sharmila emphasizes the importance of increasing representation in cryptography and deep-tech security research, particularly for women.
  • Institutional investors are reshaping expectations for custody infrastructure, requiring strong governance frameworks and transparent operational controls.
  • Technologies like multiparty computation and threshold signature schemes help institutions enforce transaction approval policies while minimizing single points of failure.

The bigger picture

  • Digital asset custody is a critical pillar of the modern financial ecosystem as blockchain technology gains mainstream adoption.
  • Traditional key management systems are insufficient in the digital asset ecosystem, requiring advanced cryptographic techniques for security.
  • Cryptographic agility ensures custody systems remain secure as technological landscapes evolve over decades.
  • The transition to post-quantum cryptography requires long-term preparation and rethinking of cryptographic integration.
  • Real-world systems must balance mathematical guarantees with practical considerations like implementation risks and compliance.

About the business

  • Liminal Custody builds institutional-grade custody infrastructure for digital assets, focusing on cryptographic security and distributed systems.
  • The company's systems operate under a 'zero-trust' model, assuming adversarial conditions and avoiding single points of trust.
  • It uses advanced cryptographic techniques like multiparty computation and threshold cryptography to distribute control across multiple participants.
  • Liminal Custody ensures long-term security through cryptographic agility, allowing systems to upgrade algorithms without dismantling infrastructure.
  • The company is preparing for the transition to post-quantum cryptography, which will require rethinking how cryptographic primitives integrate with distributed key management frameworks.
  • Real-world deployment of cryptographic protocols involves collaboration between researchers, engineers, and security auditors to ensure resilience.
  • Institutional investors are reshaping expectations for custody infrastructure, requiring strong governance frameworks and transparent operational controls.
  • Technologies like multiparty computation and threshold signature schemes help institutions enforce transaction approval policies while minimizing single points of failure.

The deal

Type
other

Founders

  • Dr. Sharmila, Principal Scientist and Head of Research & Development

Read it as a card in the app

Same day

All startup news on 12 March 2026 →