Fintech penetration testing & security engineering
Crypto & fintech security engineering,
engineered with pen-test evidence, not slides.
TrustChange engineers crypto and fintech platforms for EU-facing crypto startups, licensed VASPs, PSPs, EMIs, neobanks and banks — with security built into the delivery, coordinated fintech penetration testing runs, and remediation under a change-managed process. We are an engineering partner, not a certified pen-test firm: the report is signed by an independent third-party tester, the platform under test is ours to remediate. Client-owned code, EU-hosted infrastructure, audit-ready evidence.
- EU-based engineers
- Third-party pen-test coordination
- MiCA-ready delivery
- PSD2-aware flows
- GDPR-aware storage
What "security engineering" means here
Fintech penetration testing plus the engineering behind it — the honest scope
Most searches for penetration testing for fintech expect a scan-and-report vendor or a packaged SaaS scanner. We work the other way. TrustChange is an engineering partner that engineers the platform against pen-test standards, coordinates the window with an independent third-party tester and remediates every finding under our change-managed process. Below is how our scope differs from an off-the-shelf option.
Deciding whether to build, wrap or replace an incumbent security setup? Start with CTO advisory. Rule mapping sits on compliance engineering, and workflow tooling on compliance workflow software development.
| Dimension | TrustChange | Off-the-shelf |
|---|---|---|
| Threat modelling | Yes — first-class deliverable in every engagement | Sometimes bolted on before a release |
| Secure SDLC (SAST, SBOM, secrets) | Yes — wired into CI on every merge | Depends on the product vendor's setup |
| Key & secret handling | Yes — MPC / HSM for money-moving keys | Typically vendor-controlled |
| Fintech penetration testing | Coordinated with an independent third-party tester | Bundled with the SaaS licence, less transparent |
| Remediation of findings | Engineered by the same squad that shipped the code | Handed off to a separate remediation team |
| Evidence & reporting | Client-owned register, exports for audit and regulator | Vendor dashboard, less portable |
Subsystems
Three subsystems inside every security engineering engagement
Security is not one deliverable. It is a secure SDLC that catches issues before merge, a pen-test engagement that finds what the SDLC missed, and runtime controls that keep the platform defensible on any given day. We ship all three together.
-
01
Secure SDLC
Threat modelling before code, static analysis and secrets scanning on every merge, dependency and container scanning in CI, and a written change-management process for privileged actions.
- Threat modelling
- SAST · secrets · SBOM
- Change-management gates
-
02
Pen-test engagement
We prepare the environment, agree scope with an independent third-party tester and run the fintech penetration testing window against the platform we shipped. Findings feed straight into the remediation backlog.
- Scope & rules of engagement
- Env prep + test data
- Findings triage & re-test
-
03
Runtime security
Identity provider, role-based access, secrets management, four-eyes on production changes, tamper-evident audit log, SIEM feed and a 24/7 on-call rota for security incidents.
- RBAC + SSO + MFA
- Tamper-evident logs
- 24/7 security on-call
Stack
What sits behind a fintech penetration testing and security engineering engagement
Eight layers, one system. Every layer names an owner, a control and a piece of audit evidence — nothing is left implied under the "security" label.
Delivery patterns and evidence: how we deliver. Wider platform view: fintech infrastructure. Key handling depth: wallet and custody engineering.
| Layer | What we build & run |
|---|---|
| Threat model | Written model per product — assets, entry points, trust boundaries, threat scenarios and mitigations Updated with every material change, versioned in your repository. |
| Secure SDLC | SAST, secrets scanning, SBOM, dependency and container scanning wired into CI as required-status gates A build never merges with a critical finding open. |
| Key & secret management | MPC or HSM signing for money-moving keys; managed secret store for API keys, tokens and DB credentials Keys are generated inside your trust boundary and never leave it. |
| Identity & access | SSO into your identity provider, MFA, role-based access, four-eyes on production changes and admin actions Access reviews on a fixed cycle; joiners and leavers audited. |
| Network & data protection | TLS everywhere, mutual TLS between services, per-environment segmentation, encryption at rest with rotation EU-hosted by default, data regions and retention rules per your policy. |
| Pen-test coordination | Scope, rules of engagement, test data, environment freeze and results triage with an independent third party TrustChange participates as the engineering partner; the third-party tester is the assessor of record. |
| Detection & response | Structured logs, SIEM feed, alert rules, tamper-evident audit trail and 24/7 on-call rota Runbooks live in your repository; incidents write a post-mortem into Git. |
| Evidence & reporting | Pen-test report handling, remediation register, close packs and export bundles for finance, audit and reviewers Regulator-shaped exports out of the same store as engineering artefacts. |
Engagement path
From threat model to signed pen-test report
Every security engineering engagement goes through the same gates before a release ships. Speed comes from tuning the SDLC, not from skipping a step or trusting a scan alone.
- 01
Threat model
Weeks 1–2
We map assets, entry points, trust boundaries and threat scenarios per product; mitigations drop into the backlog.
- 02
Secure SDLC
Ongoing
SAST, secrets, SBOM, dependency and container scans run on every merge; critical findings block the release.
- 03
Pre-test hardening
2–4 weeks pre-test
Env prep, test-data seeding, scope agreement with the third-party tester and a freeze window for the platform under test.
- 04
Pen-test window
Fixed window
The independent third party executes the fintech penetration testing engagement; we support with access, data and reproduction.
- 05
Remediation
Post-test
Findings triaged by severity, tickets opened with owners and SLAs, re-tests run in the next window; nothing closes without evidence.
- 06
Evidence
Immediate
The pen-test report, the remediation register and the release bundle become part of the audit trail.
Ownership
What stays yours when we ship
TrustChange is a bespoke security engineering partner: your threat model, your code, your keys, your evidence. Every artefact — including the third-party pen-test report — is client-owned and retained on your terms.
Threat model
In your repository, versioned with the code
Source code
In your repositories, IP assigned to you
Keys & shares
Generated inside your trust boundary
Pen-test report
Signed by the third-party tester, retained by you
Remediation register
Client-owned, versioned in Git
Contracts
No per-scan licence, no SaaS lock-in
Exit
Take the platform and run it without us
Delivery
How we deliver a crypto and fintech security engineering project
Five steps, in this order. Security work runs inside the product backlog — no separate security-only phase bolted on before launch, no big-bang release of an untested platform.
- 01
Scoping
Weeks 1–2
We map assets, entry points, licence context and the pen-test cadence your reviewer expects. Output: a scope, a control map and a costed plan.
- 02
Architecture
Weeks 3–4
Threat model, secure-SDLC gates, key-handling design, access model and detection pipeline written down first. Regulatory constraints shape the design.
- 03
Build
Two-week sprints
Controls, integrations, IdP wiring and detection ship in slices. Each merge runs tests, SAST, secrets scan, SBOM and a dependency scan.
- 04
Pen-test window
Fixed slot
Coordinated fintech penetration testing with an independent third-party tester; findings triaged, remediated and re-tested under owners and SLAs.
- 05
Launch and run
Cutover + ongoing
Named engineers on 24/7 security on-call. Runbooks, dashboards, the pen-test report and the remediation register handed to your team on day one.
Engagement
Four ways to buy security engineering from TrustChange
Same engineers, same standard. Only the commercial shape changes.
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Fixed-scope build
A defined security programme at a fixed price and date. Best when the pen-test cadence and product scope are settled.
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Dedicated team
A standing squad with a lead where security is a first-class workstream. Best for long roadmaps.
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Staff augmentation
Senior security-oriented engineers inside your team. Best when you already own the plan.
-
CTO advisory
Architecture, threat model and pen-test-readiness review before you commit. Best at the design stage.
Questions
FAQ: fintech penetration testing & security engineering
Six answers up front on scope, live-platform pen-test flow, fit alongside other engagements, evidence, compliance and third-party coordination. Bring the rest to the call.
Does TrustChange do fintech penetration testing itself?
We are an engineering partner, not a certified penetration-testing firm. What we do is engineer the platform against pen-test standards, coordinate the penetration testing for fintech engagement with an independent third-party tester, and remediate every finding under our change-managed process. The pen-test report is signed by the third party; TrustChange is the engineering partner behind the code under test.
How do you approach penetration testing for fintech that is already live?
The starting point is a written threat model per product — assets, entry points, trust boundaries and scenarios — and a scan of the current secure-SDLC posture. From there we prep the environment, agree scope and rules of engagement with an independent third-party tester, run the fintech penetration testing window, triage findings by severity and remediate under owners and SLAs. Re-tests confirm each finding is closed before it drops off the register.
How does security engineering fit alongside your other engagements?
Security engineering runs inside every TrustChange engagement — no separate security-only phase bolted on before launch. That means threat modelling in the scoping stage, SAST/SBOM/secrets scanning wired into CI from sprint one, key handling designed into the wallet or ledger, and pen-test windows scheduled before every major release. On a dedicated development team engagement it is part of the squad's remit; on a fixed-scope build it is a named workstream.
What evidence do we get from a security engineering engagement?
A versioned threat model per product, CI security posture with every gate documented, key-handling ceremony notes, an SBOM per release, the third-party pen-test report, a remediation register with owners and SLAs, and audit-ready close packs for finance and reviewers. Everything is client-owned and lives in your repositories or your evidence store — no vendor lock-in, no portable-only-with-payment dashboards.
How does this map to MiCA, PSD2, AML/Travel Rule, PCI DSS and GDPR?
TrustChange is an engineering partner, not a QSA and not a law firm — your compliance team, MLRO and assessors set the policy and confirm status, we ship the controls and the evidence. That means PSD2-aware payment flows and PCI-scope minimisation, MiCA-ready records where relevant, sanctions and Travel Rule integrations in code, and GDPR-aware storage with data mapping and retention rules. Nothing about licences, opinions, authorisations or PCI attestations is claimed on your behalf.
How do you coordinate with our incumbent security team and third-party pen-test vendor?
Cleanly. Your security team keeps ownership of policy, risk acceptance and vendor selection; we bring the engineering, the environment prep and the remediation. Our named delivery lead runs a joint working session with your security lead and the third-party tester at the start of the window, one during the run, and a review with the report at the end. Findings flow into your ticketing tool, not ours.
Book a discovery call for crypto and fintech security engineering
Bring the products, the licence context, the pen-test cadence your reviewer expects and the current findings you are living with. We come back with a threat map, an SDLC gap list and a costed plan. No demo theatre.