Vaults

Vaults are secure wallet containers that hold blockchain addresses and signing keys. They are the foundation of asset custody in Cubewire.

What is a Vault?

A vault represents a secure wallet with:

  • Blockchain Address — Unique address on supported networks
  • Signing Capability — Ability to sign transactions and messages
  • Security Model — MPC or HSM key protection
  • Organizational Ownership — Belongs to your organization

Vault Types

Cubewire currently supports HSM vault security with MPC vaults coming soon. You must specify the vault type when creating a vault to ensure compatibility as additional vault types become available.

HSM (Hardware Security Module)

Currently Available — HSM vaults store keys in certified tamper-resistant hardware, providing enterprise-grade security for digital asset custody.

PropertyDescription
Key StorageFIPS 140-2 Level 3 certified hardware
Key ExportImpossible — keys never leave HSM
SigningHardware-accelerated cryptographic operations
Best ForRegulatory compliance, traditional finance

Key Security Features:

  • Tamper-resistant hardware — Physical security protections against unauthorized access
  • Certified compliance — FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certification for regulatory requirements
  • Key isolation — Private keys never leave the secure hardware boundary
  • Audit logging — All key operations are logged for compliance and forensics

When to Use HSM:

  • Organizations requiring FIPS 140-2 compliance
  • Traditional financial institutions
  • High-value asset custody
  • Regulatory reporting requirements

MPC (Multi-Party Computation)

Coming Soon — MPC vaults will distribute the private key across multiple parties, eliminating single points of failure.

PropertyDescription
Key DistributionSplit across multiple computation parties
ReconstructionKey never reconstructed in single location
SigningThreshold signature scheme (e.g., 2-of-3)
Best ForHigh-security institutional custody

Planned Security Features:

  • No single point of failure — No single party has the complete key
  • Distributed security — Private key is never reconstructed in one location
  • Threshold signing — Requires multiple parties to collaborate

Vault Properties

FieldTypeDescription
idUUIDUnique vault identifier (auto-generated)
namestringHuman-readable name (unique within organization, max 255 char)
typeenumVault type - HSM (currently supported) or MPC (coming soon)
statusenumVault status - active or inactive
keyStatusenumKey generation status - ready, pending, or failed
keyErrorstringError message if key generation failed (nullable)
userIdUUIDID of user who created the vault
organizationIdUUIDOrganization ID that owns the vault
addressstringBlockchain address (0x..., null until key generation complete)
bsbstringBank State Branch code (Australian banking integration, nullable)
accountNumberstringBank account number (for traditional banking integration, nullable)
groupNamestringOrganizational grouping (e.g., 'Finance Department', nullable)
tagsstring[]Metadata tags for categorization and filtering
createdAtdatetimeCreation timestamp (ISO 8601, UTC)
updatedAtdatetimeLast modification timestamp (ISO 8601, UTC)
assetsarrayArray of asset balances associated with this vault
userobjectNested user object containing user id

Vault Capabilities

Transaction Signing

Vaults can sign and submit blockchain transactions:

  • Native currency transfers (ETH, MATIC, etc.)
  • ERC-20 token transfers
  • Smart contract interactions
  • Contract deployments

EIP-712 Typed Data Signing

Vaults support signing EIP-712 structured data for:

  • DeFi permits (Uniswap, Aave)
  • NFT marketplace orders (OpenSea Seaport)
  • Gasless transactions (meta-transactions)
  • Custom typed data

Gas Estimation

Before submitting transactions, vaults can estimate gas fees to help you:

  • Calculate transaction costs
  • Set appropriate gas limits
  • Optimize transaction timing

Common Use Cases

Treasury Management

Long-term storage of organizational funds with maximum security.

  • Use HSM for regulatory compliance
  • Apply strict approval policies
  • Limit authorized signers

Operational Payments

Day-to-day transactions like payroll, vendor payments.

  • Use MPC for flexibility
  • Set transaction limits
  • Enable automated approvals for routine payments

Client Settlements

Processing customer transactions and settlements.

  • Dedicated vaults per client or pool
  • Automated reconciliation
  • Audit trail per vault

Best Practices

Security Recommendations

RecommendationDescription
Deactivate unused vaultsReduce attack surface
Regular auditsReview vault inventory periodically
Separate hot/coldUse different vaults for different risk profiles
  • Networks — Supported blockchain networks

API Reference

For complete API documentation including endpoints, request/response examples, and code samples: