� WD-40 keeps its formula locked behind extreme secrecy

� The formula for WD-40 is guarded through a tightly controlled internal system. The current CEO was allowed to see it only after more than 30 years at the company.

� WD-40 CEO Steve Brass gained access in 2024 together with the CFO. They viewed the handwritten formula during a bank visit after advance notice, multiple NDAs, and with a key held by the company’s chief lawyer. The document is stored in a Bank of America vault in San Diego.

� Only one original copy exists. Most employees work with encoded versions and never see the real formula, including senior R&D staff.

For WD-40, secrecy itself remains part of the product’s long-term moat.

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