BWP TOPICS
Bitcoin Self-Custody
Hold your own Bitcoin private keys — hardware wallets, multisig, and seed phrase security explained.
COMPLETE GUIDE
Self-Custody vs. Custodial Bitcoin Solutions
The tradeoffs between holding your own keys and trusting a third party — and how to choose the right approach for your situation.
Understand Bitcoin self-custody
Hardware wallets
Dedicated offline devices that keep your private keys isolated from the internet
Multisig setups
Require multiple keys to move Bitcoin — protection against single points of failure
Seed phrase security
How to store the 12 or 24 words that are the master backup for your Bitcoin
Custodial vs self-custody
The tradeoffs between holding your own keys and trusting a third party
Key questions
What is a hardware wallet and do I need one?
A hardware wallet stores your private keys on a dedicated offline device, isolated from internet threats. For holdings above a few thousand dollars, it's the standard security practice.
Read moreWhat is multisig and is it worth the complexity?
Multisig requires 2 of 3 (or 3 of 5) keys to authorise a transaction. It protects against single-key loss or theft. Services like Unchained and Casa make it accessible without deep technical knowledge.
Read moreWhat happens if I lose my seed phrase?
If you lose your seed phrase and your hardware wallet is also lost or damaged, your Bitcoin is unrecoverable. Metal backup plates and geographically distributed copies are the standard mitigations.
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