Self-custody
Also · Non-custodial · Self-sovereign
Self-custody means holding the keys to your own bitcoin, with no third party able to spend, freeze or lose them for you. It brings sovereignty and the full responsibility that comes with it.
Self-custody is the state in which only you can produce the signatures that move your coins. No exchange, no app operator, no bank stands between you and the blockchain. It is what the phrase “be your own bank” refers to, and it is the property that makes seizure, freezing and counterparty bankruptcy irrelevant to your holdings.
It also moves every risk onto you. Backups, device security, inheritance and resistance to coercion become your problems. Holding your keys does not by itself mean verifying the rules, which needs your own node. The right setup depends on the amount and the threat model. A phone wallet suits pocket money, a hardware wallet suits savings, multisig suits amounts you cannot afford to lose to a single mistake.
In French · Self-custody
