Amsterdam, Netherlands, July 27th, 2026, Chainwire
NOWPayments and BlockSec have published a free checklist with 25 controls spread across nine security and technical compliance categories.
Crypto payments are easy to turn on. What’s hard is keeping the whole payment flow safe from key compromise, suspicious transactions, account takeover, or a stablecoin freeze.
The guide turns broad security principles into checks that security, operations, compliance, and product teams can work through together. It can be used before a business starts accepting crypto payments, during a vendor or architecture review, or as part of a regular control assessment.
A baseline built for daily use
The checklist covers 25 controls across nine areas:
Private key and wallet security Smart contract security Transaction verification and signing Identity, accounts, and operations DNS and domain security On-chain monitoring and incident response AML/CFT technical compliance Stablecoin freeze risk management Continuous improvementEach item is a control to verify rather than a general recommendation. Teams can mark it as confirmed, add supporting evidence, assign an owner, and record what needs to happen next.
This turns a broad security discussion into a working session with clear responsibilities. It can also reveal gaps between departments before they become operational or financial problems.
The checklist helps businesses answer questions such as:
Can one person move production funds alone? Are operating wallets separated from reserve wallets? Are transaction-approval systems isolated from public infrastructure? Can suspicious transfers or privilege changes be detected in real time? Is there a tested plan for a stablecoin freeze event?“The most common mistake is to treat a crypto payment like a normal online payment. On-chain transfers are final, so weak key management, unreviewed transaction approvals, or thin compliance checks can turn one mistake into a permanent loss,” said Andy Zhou, co-founder of BlockSec and professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
From security principles to daily operations
Crypto payment risk rarely belongs to one department. Engineering may manage the infrastructure that approves transactions, compliance may screen transactions, and operations may lead the response when an alert is triggered.
The checklist gives these teams one shared record of existing controls, evidence, ownership, and next steps. For merchants, marketplaces, gaming and iGaming operators, SaaS companies, and Web3 platforms, this makes security reviews a repeatable process rather than a one-off exercise.
“Real-time visibility is what makes a fast incident response possible. It can be the difference between containing a loss and losing funds to swaps, bridges, or cash-out points,” Zhou added.
If stolen funds are traced to an exchange or crypto service, the window to act may be short.
The checklist is an educational resource, not a certification or a replacement for legal advice. Its principles are designed to remain useful as payment infrastructure and security threats change.
Security without extra friction
Strong controls should help businesses grow their crypto operations without making daily work unnecessarily complex.
In a public test, payouts were completed within seconds. Recipients confirmed each transfer by email before the funds moved.
For affiliate programs, marketplaces, creator platforms, remote teams, gaming projects, and Web3 communities, the two products address different parts of the same process: the checklist helps strengthen controls, while the payout flow reduces fees, manual wallet-address collection, and repetitive work.
Get the free NOWPayments and BlockSec checklist
The guide is designed for businesses that already accept crypto, are about to launch it, or want a fresh look at an existing payment and payout setup. Teams can use it to identify control gaps, assign ownership, and create a practical list of next steps before those gaps turn into incidents.
About NOWPayments
About BlockSec
Head of PRAlexandr YarovinskiNOWPayments
