Why use Fast MPC?
Fireblocks' Fast MPC product family uses two complementary 2-of-2 signing protocols to speed up transaction signing while maintaining Fireblocks' security guarantees, enabling you to execute latency-sensitive operations without compromise:
- MPC-BAM — for ECDSA SECP256K1 chains (Bitcoin, Ethereum, and EVM-compatible chains), delivering signing speeds up to 10 times faster than MPC-CMP.
- MPC-FROST — for EdDSA and Schnorr-based chains (Solana, Cardano, Polkadot, and other EdDSA networks), bringing that same signing speed to chains MPC-BAM doesn't cover.
Between the two, Fast MPC covers use cases including, but not limited to:
- High-frequency trading: Execute trades faster with sub-second signing times
- Automated market making: Respond to market conditions with minimal latency
- Payment processing: Process high volumes of transactions quickly
- Programmatic vault operations: Execute automated workflows with reduced delays
- DeFi protocol interactions: Interact with smart contracts more efficiently
How MPC-BAM works
MPC-BAM is a novel 2/2 ECDSA protocol that achieves two rounds (a single back-and-forth communication). This reduction in cryptographic rounds enables sub-second signing times for ECDSA SECP256K1 transactions.
Built on proven research
Fireblocks built MPC-BAM based on peer-reviewed academic research published by Fireblocks researchers and academic partners (Two-Round 2PC ECDSA at the Cost of 1 OLE, by Michael Adjedj, Constantin Blokh, Geoffroy Couteau, Arik Galansky, Antoine Joux, and Nikolaos Makriyannis (2024)). Trail of Bits independently audited the protocol for security assurance.
How MPC-FROST works
MPC-FROST is a 2-round asymmetric MPC implementation of FROST, bringing EdDSA and Schnorr signing performance on par with MPC-BAM's ECDSA performance.
MPC-FROST supports:
- EdDSA curves used by Solana, Cardano, Polkadot, and similar chains
Built on proven research
FROST is a widely-adopted threshold Schnorr signature protocol, described in FROST: Flexible Round-Optimized Schnorr Threshold Signatures by Chelsea Komlo and Ian Goldberg. Trail of Bits and NCC Group independently audited Fireblocks' MPC-FROST implementation for security assurance.
Enable fast signing for an API user
MPC-BAM and MPC-FROST operate alongside your existing MPC-CMP setup as opt-in features for each API user. When you enable fast signing, the Console enables whichever protocols your Co-signer's version supports — if it doesn't yet support MPC-FROST, you can add it later after upgrading, in addition to MPC-BAM, not as a replacement. If you remove fast signing entirely, the API user reverts to MPC-CMP signing for all chains, and your MPC-BAM and MPC-FROST keys remain but are not used.
See Enabling & Disabling Fast Signing for the exact steps.
You can enable fast signing for high-throughput API users while keeping others on MPC-CMP, allowing you to test and adopt gradually.
FAQ
What happens to my existing MPC-CMP keys if I enable MPC-BAM or MPC-FROST?
Your existing MPC-CMP keys remain in place. You can remove fast signing at any time for any API user — when removed, the API user reverts to MPC-CMP for all signing operations.
Does fast signing work with mobile Co-signers?
Not yet. MPC-BAM and MPC-FROST support only API Co-signers (SGX, AWS Nitro, GCP). Mobile Co-signers continue to use MPC-CMP for all signing operations.
What algorithms does each protocol support?
- MPC-BAM supports ECDSA SECP256K1, which Bitcoin, Ethereum, and most EVM-compatible chains use.
- MPC-FROST supports EdDSA, used by Solana, Cardano, Polkadot, and other EdDSA chains.
Do I need to enable MPC-BAM before I can add MPC-FROST?
Not necessarily. If your Co-signer already meets both version requirements when you first enable fast signing, both protocols are enabled together. You only need to enable MPC-BAM first if your Co-signer didn't yet meet the MPC-FROST requirement at that time — in that case, add MPC-FROST later from Fast signing settings.
What Co-signer version do I need?
- MPC-BAM: Co-signer version 2026.03.02 or later.
- MPC-FROST: Co-signer version 2026.09.16 or later.
How long does key provisioning take?
Provisioning happens automatically in the background when you enable a protocol for an API user, and typically completes within a few seconds, though the exact time may vary. You can monitor status in the Console or via API.
Will fast signing affect my transaction fees or costs?
No. Neither MPC-BAM nor MPC-FROST changes transaction fees or blockchain costs. The performance improvement is in the signing process itself, not in on-chain transaction execution.
Can I enable fast signing for some API users and not others?
Yes. Fast signing is configured per API user. You can enable it for high-throughput API users while keeping others on MPC-CMP, allowing you to test and adopt gradually.
Does background key generation require the Owner?
No. Your Co-signer and the cloud Co-signer re-distribute key shares, similar to how a new signer joining a workspace gets keys from the Owner. Since these keys are provisioned from the Co-signer to itself, this happens securely in the background without human involvement.
What about backups?
Fast signing doesn't change your underlying private keys, only the signing protocol. Your existing DRS backup packages remain valid because MPC-BAM and MPC-FROST keys reconstruct to the same private key and public key as your MPC-CMP keys. However, back up your Co-signer's database to simplify recovery.
Do I need my passphrase to enable fast signing?
No. Since mobile Co-signers do not currently support MPC-BAM or MPC-FROST, your passphrase is not required to enable either.