Cryptocurrency firm Kerberus has completed an acquisition of Refract, the developer behind the Pocket Universe extension, aimed at creating the industry’s first antivirus product focused on digital assets.
Merger of Kerberus and Refract
Kerberus has announced its acquisition of Refract, a significant step towards the creation of an antivirus for digital assets. Pocket Universe, a well-known wallet protection tool, will be integrated into Kerberus's own Sentinel3 extension, expanding support to Ethereum Virtual Machine and Solana networks while creating antivirus protection for digital assets.
Pocket Universe Team Steps Back
Pocket Universe founders Justin Phu and Nishan Samarasinghe will step away from day-to-day operations to pursue new projects while continuing to support Kerberus. As part of the deal, Ran Neuner, founder of Crypto Banter and CEO of Onchain Capital, has joined the Kerberus team as a strategic advisor.
Rise of Threats and Antivirus Development
Since its founding in 2023, Kerberus has provided wallet protection and real-time transaction scanning tools. The founders noted that as malware attacks have risen, the need for a specialized antivirus tailored to cryptocurrency has become apparent. A minimally viable version of the antivirus is expected to be ready within four months, catering to an increasing demand as institutional players enter the crypto space.
The acquisition of Refract and integration of Pocket Universe into Kerberus’s offerings marks a significant step in the development of an antivirus solution for the cryptocurrency industry, addressing rising security threats.
