Project update webinar · 14 October 2026

Steady progress,
built to last.

Internal prototype units are with our team. Today: the project plan, what is new in Guardian and Vault OS, the Vault Cards, how we test every build, the risks we are managing and how we use AI.

01Project plan 02Guardian and Vault OS 03Vault Cards 04Testing and builds 05Risks 06AI usage and your questions

Live on Skool

The Citadel Vault device showing the Vault OS main menu

01 · Project plan

Key milestones

Done

Prototype units

Internal units delivered to our team for on-device testing.

This week

Partner demos

The Vault presented at two conferences in the U.S.

Coming up

Customer test

A customer tests a unit in person and shares uncensored feedback on a webcast.

End of October

More test units

Two more units go to our internal testers.

In progress

Reseller tool

Resellers install the Vault software onto units themselves.

Batch 1

End of January 2027

Early Bird backers

Batch 2

End of February 2027

Remaining pre-sale backers and orders placed by 30 November 2026

Batch 3

End of March 2027

Orders from 1 December 2026, Vault Advisor and Founders Edition

Alongside: Vault OS work on safe upgrades and the locked system continues, and we are reworking the plan around AI usage limits. Any change to the schedule will be shared with you first.

02 · What is new

Guardian and Vault OS

Guardian

the vault application

Secrets wiped after use. Seed words, passphrases and wallet PINs live in self-erasing memory.
Seed words hidden while you type. Shown only when you choose.
No unencrypted leftovers. Exported files open in a private, memory-only folder.
Your Vault knows its cards. It refuses a wipe that would leave too few cards to recover.
Safer documents. Kept inside the encrypted vault; edits never lose the old copy.

Vault OS

the operating system

Safe firmware upgrades. Download on your own computer, copy to a microSD card, insert it. The air gap stays intact.
Signature checked first. The Vault verifies every upgrade against our developer key before installing.
Two system copies. A failed or interrupted upgrade always returns to the working version.
Locked production system. Read-only and verified; any changed file is refused.
USB blocked by default, except approved devices such as the QR scanner.

03 · Vault Cards

The keys to your Vault

Among the most secure smart cards available: EAL6+ certified, each with its own secure element.

1
Adds entropy. Each card's random number generator adds entropy to create your Vault Master Passphrase (VMP).
2
Stores a shard. Each card securely stores a sharded part of your VMP.
3
Backs up your VMP. Together, your cards provide a backup of the VMP.
4
Guards the gate. A card is needed to open the Vault, and for critical functions such as heir recovery.

Shown: the latest card designs.

03 · Vault Cards

Your Vault Card set

Vault Core

6 Vault Cards

Vault Pro

10 Vault Cards

04 · How we build

Every build verified. Every change reviewed.

6,867

automated tests per build

up from 4,500+ in September; the latest build passed every one

235k

lines of code

more than doubled since our Prague launch in June

20

machine-checked security rules

for example where a passphrase may be typed

Daily

verified builds

each with a full test run and a written report

Independent review on every change. Nothing enters a build until it has been checked.
Tests written first. Small changes, and nothing enters the daily build unless every test passes.
The full suite, every time. Each daily build runs every automated test and comes with a written verification report.

The code base printed would fill about 4,700 pages, nearly four copies of War and Peace

05 · Risks

Risks that we are managing

AI usage limits

Our main AI tools now meter usage in weekly allowances, and frontier model access is limited. When an allowance runs out, development waits.

We plan work around the resets. Limits affect timing, never the result or code quality.

Foundation changes

The September rewrite strengthened entropy and key handling, and every part it touches must be adjusted and retested.

Full regression testing on every build, no shortcuts.

A growing code base

More code means more to read, more places a change can reach and longer test runs.

Small changes, tests first, nothing ships without a green build.

Year-end holidays

Our team, suppliers and couriers slow down from late December into early January.

Already built into the batch schedule.

06 · How we use AI

AI token usage

We build Citadel Vault with AI assisted engineering. Since July our AI tools have processed about 24.5 billion tokens, and October alone is on track for about 14.7 billion as we run more coding and review agents side by side.

Every change is still reviewed and tested before it enters a build.

Your questions

Ask now, or write to vault@citadelvault.org. Full update at citadelvault.org/updates

Steady progress,built to last.