Multisig
Also · Multisignature · 2-of-3 · Quorum
A multisig wallet requires several keys out of a set to spend, such as 2 of 3. It survives the loss or theft of 1 key, at the cost of more complex backups.
A multisig output can only be spent when a quorum of keys signs, for example 2 of 3 or 3 of 5. The keys can live on different devices, in different places, with different people. A single stolen hardware wallet or a single lost seed no longer costs the funds. That is why companies, families and anyone holding a meaningful sum turn to it.
The price is operational. Each key needs its own backup, and the wallet also needs the descriptor, the recipe that says which public keys and which quorum form the wallet. Without it, the seeds alone cannot rebuild the addresses. Lightning channels and most Bitcoin layers are themselves built on 2-of-2 multisig, and Taproot lets such setups look like ordinary single-key payments on-chain.
In French · Multisignature (multisig)
