Institutions require high operational excellence as table stakes when it comes to choosing a staking infrastructure provider. We pride ourselves on high and objectively measurable standards so our delegators and partners can trust that our infrastructure is battle-tested without having to simply take our word for it. Today marks a new step in elevating our standards of excellence.
Figment is proud to announce we have achieved full certification under the Node Operator Risk Standard (NORS): an independent, industry-recognized standard that audits node operators across security, operational resilience, and governance. Figment is the first entity in North America and Europe to successfully complete NORS certification.
What is NORS and Why It Matters
The NORS certification is a first-of-its-kind standard built specifically for Ethereum node operator risk management. It establishes enterprise-grade criteria that encompass critical aspects of validator operations, including slashing prevention, validator diversity, proper key management, and overall operational security.
NORS was developed by industry leaders to improve the reliability and transparency of staking infrastructure by setting a clear standard for excellence and trust.
What NORS Certification requires:
A unified, evidence-based control framework
NORS provides a standardized Risk Control Matrix (RCM) that outlines the exact control objectives, required control activities, and evidence operators must produce. This removes ambiguity and gives institutions a clear, consistent way to assess operational risk.
Independent verification of real operating practices
Unlike self-attested “best practices,” NORS requires operators to prove how their systems actually work through audited documentation, technical evidence, and process validation. The certification confirms not intent, but demonstrated, repeatable operational discipline.
A maturity model purpose-built for institutional diligence
NORS includes a tiered structure, NORS Entry and Full NORS, that maps an operator’s control maturity to objective criteria. This gives institutions a reliable way to differentiate between emerging operators and those running at true enterprise scale.
Why Figment Pursued NORS
To provide transparent comparability for institutions
Before, institutional stakers faced a patchwork of claims: “high uptime,” “advanced key-management,” “industry best,” but without a standard. With NORS, the evaluation becomes objective: does the operator meet the defined controls, and is the evidence independently validated.
To demonstrate operational maturity
Staking at scale can introduce risks: relay failures, MEV issues, validator churn, slashing events. Institutions view these not as theoretical but as real potential exposures. The NORS certification signals that an operator has built the systems and processes to manage and mitigate those risks.
To lead by example in our public commitment to higher standards
We believe staking should hold the same operational discipline as legacy financial rails. NORS helps signal to our partners and customers that we hold ourselves to the highest objective standards possible so trust can be measured, not guesswork.
How This Fits Into Our Wider Compliance Program
NORS joins a broader portfolio of independently verified standards at Figment:
- SOC 1 Type I (Rewards Reporting): Extended this year to staking rewards operations
- SOC 2 Type II: Multi-year audited program for our infrastructure and services
- ISO 27001: Global information security standard covering management of our ISMS
- OFAC Compliant MEV Relays: Enabling institutions to access MEV-optimized performance while satisfying sanctions-screening obligations
Together, these certifications create layered assurance. From our internal systems and processes, to how we service clients, to rewards reporting, and now node-operator controls.
Looking Ahead
As more capital flows into staked digital assets, the infrastructure must scale not just in size, but in discipline. We intend to lead that shift, helping define what institutional-grade staking looks like and then operationalizing it. Achieving NORS certification is one more signal of that commitment.
