Key Takeaways
Shentu is a Layer-1 blockchain built on the Cosmos SDK that provides security infrastructure for smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps).
CTK is Shentu's native token, used for transaction fees, staking, governance voting, and paying for security services on the network.
The Security Oracle is Shentu's core product, a decentralized system that draws on blockchain oracles to provide continuous security scoring for smart contracts.
Shentu originated as CertiK Chain in 2021 and rebranded to Shentu Chain in late 2022 to operate as an independent public blockchain focused on Web3 security infrastructure.
Introduction
Security remains a persistent challenge in blockchain and decentralized finance (DeFi). Despite large losses in the cryptocurrency industry to vulnerabilities such as smart contract exploits, protocol bugs, and unauthorized access, most security measures are reactive. These include security audits which are only conducted before launch of a product, and once a smart contract has been deployed, monitoring is often limited.
Shentu is a blockchain protocol that attempts to address this gap by making security infrastructure native on-chain. Rather than treating audits and risk assessment as off-chain services, Shentu embeds them directly into a Layer-1 network. Its Security Oracle scores contracts in real time, its ShentuShield protocol offers decentralized reimbursement for verified exploits, and its native token, CTK, powers the entire ecosystem.
This article covers what Shentu is, how its core components work, and how its native token, CTK, fits into the picture.
What Is Shentu (CTK)?
Shentu is a Layer-1 blockchain focused on blockchain security. It was originally launched in 2018 as CertiK Chain, the on-chain infrastructure arm of CertiK, a blockchain security company founded by professors from Yale and Columbia universities with backgrounds in cryptography and formal verification. In 2021, the project rebranded to Shentu Chain via an on-chain governance proposal, positioning itself as an independent public blockchain rather than a product tied to a single security firm.
Shentu is built on the Cosmos SDK and uses CometBFT consensus (formerly Tendermint), a Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT) mechanism that offers fast transaction finality with around six to seven seconds per block. The network is secured by a delegated proof-of-stake (DPoS) validator set, where CTK holders can delegate their tokens to validators to earn staking rewards.
Being built on Cosmos also means Shentu supports IBC (Inter-Blockchain Communication), allowing assets and data to move between Shentu and other Cosmos-compatible chains. In 2024, EVM compatibility was added, enabling developers to use familiar Ethereum tools and deploy Ethereum-compatible smart contracts on the network.
The CertiK connection
Shentu and CertiK are related but distinct. CertiK is a private security company that offers smart contract auditing, penetration testing, and vulnerability disclosure services. Shentu Chain is a public blockchain network with its own validator set, governance, and tokenomics. The two share a common origin, and CertiK continues to contribute to Shentu's development, but the chain operates independently with its own community governance.
CTK token
CTK is the native utility token of the Shentu blockchain. Its primary uses include: paying gas fees for transactions on the network; staking CTK with validators to earn rewards and secure the network; participating in on-chain governance votes to approve protocol upgrades and parameter changes; providing collateral in the ShentuShield reimbursement pool; and paying for security oracle services requested by dApp developers.
Current circulating supply of CTK stands at 160 million.Token distribution follows a combination of staking inflation rewards (allocated to validators and delegators) and allocations to the Shentu Foundation for ecosystem development and grants.
What Does Shentu Chain Do?
Shentu Chain provides a suite of security services designed to make decentralized applications safer for developers and users. Its three main components are the Security Oracle, ShentuShield, and DeepSEA.
Security oracle
The Security Oracle is Shentu's flagship feature. It is a decentralized oracle network that provides security scores for smart contracts. Certified security operators, known as certified security primitives (CSPs), analyze contracts using a combination of automated tools and manual review, then submit scores on-chain. These scores are aggregated across multiple operators to produce a composite security rating.
The key distinction between the Security Oracle and a traditional audit is timing. A standard smart contract audit is a point-in-time review: a team reviews the code before deployment, issues a report, and the engagement ends. The Security Oracle monitors contracts continuously after deployment, meaning that newly discovered vulnerabilities, changes in on-chain behavior, or interactions with other protocols can be reflected in updated scores over time.
DApp developers and protocols can query Security Oracle scores to make decisions about which contracts to integrate with, how to weight risk in their systems, or whether to pause certain operations if a score deteriorates.
ShentuShield
ShentuShield is Shentu's decentralized reimbursement mechanism. It allows CTK holders to participate as sponsors by depositing CTK into a collateral pool. Other users, referred to as members, can purchase coverage against losses from smart contract exploits by paying a fee in CTK.
If a member suffers a verified loss from a covered exploit, they can submit a claim. Claims are reviewed by the ShentuShield Council, a group of elected community representatives who assess the evidence and vote on whether to approve reimbursement. Approved claims are paid out from the collateral pool, and sponsors share in any shortfall proportionally.
ShentuShield does not function like traditional insurance. It is a community-driven, on-chain mechanism without the legal protections of regulated insurance products. Payouts are subject to council governance and the availability of collateral in the pool.
DeepSEA
DeepSEA is a high-assurance programming language developed for writing formally verifiable smart contracts. Formal verification is a mathematical technique that proves a program behaves exactly as specified, ruling out entire categories of bugs rather than testing for specific vulnerabilities.
DeepSEA complies to both the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and the CoqVM, allowing formal proofs of contract correctness to be generated alongside the deployed bytecode. While formal verification is technically demanding and not yet widely adopted across the industry, it represents one of the strongest available guarantees for mission-critical smart contract logic.
2025 network upgrades
In 2025, Shentu completed a major network upgrade (v2.14.0), which integrated a WebAssembly (WASM) module to expand smart contract support and enabled textual sign mode to improve the developer and user experience for transaction signing. The upgrade also aligned the network with the latest Cosmos SDK improvements for scalability and IBC performance. Binance temporarily paused CTK deposits and withdrawals in July 2025 during the upgrade window before resuming normal operations.
Shentu (CTK) on Binance
Binance announced Shentu (CTK) as the 6th project on Binance Launchpool on 22 October, 2020. It was made available for trading on Binance on 27 October, 2020, with the following pairs: CTK/BTC, CTK/BNB, CTK/BUSD and CTK/USDT.
FAQ
What is the difference between Shentu and CertiK?
CertiK is a private blockchain security company offering smart contract audits and penetration testing services. Shentu Chain is a public Layer-1 blockchain that CertiK originally built as its on-chain infrastructure. They share a founding team and security focus, but Shentu operates independently with its own validator set, governance, and token. The rebrand from CertiK Chain to Shentu Chain in late 2022 was intended to establish this distinction.
What is CTK used for?
CTK is the native token of the Shentu blockchain. It is used to pay transaction fees, stake with validators to earn rewards, vote on governance proposals, provide collateral in the ShentuShield pool, and pay for security oracle services.
How does the Shentu Security Oracle work?
The Security Oracle is a decentralized network of certified security operators who analyze smart contracts and submit security scores on-chain. These scores are aggregated to produce a composite rating that reflects the contract's current security status. Unlike a traditional audit, the Security Oracle provides ongoing monitoring after a contract is deployed, so scores can be updated if new vulnerabilities are discovered.
What is ShentuShield?
ShentuShield is a decentralized reimbursement protocol on the Shentu network. CTK holders can deposit tokens as collateral (sponsors) and other users can purchase coverage (members) against losses from smart contract exploits. If a member experiences a verified loss, they can submit a claim that is reviewed and voted on by the ShentuShield Council. It is not regulated insurance and payouts depend on council governance and pool availability.
Is Shentu part of the Cosmos ecosystem?
Yes. Shentu is built on the Cosmos SDK and uses CometBFT consensus. It supports IBC (Inter-Blockchain Communication), which allows assets and data to move between Shentu and other Cosmos-compatible chains. In 2024, Shentu also added EVM compatibility, extending its reach to Ethereum-compatible tools and developers.
Closing Thoughts
Security infrastructure is often treated as a peripheral concern in blockchain development. Shentu's approach is to make it foundational: embedding security scoring, decentralized reimbursement, and formal verification directly into a Layer-1 network rather than leaving them as optional, off-chain services. Whether this model gains widespread adoption depends on how consistently the Security Oracle delivers meaningful signals and whether ShentuShield proves reliable at scale.
Further Reading
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