Keep Your Bitcoin > Self-Custody
In the Bitcoin world, “not your keys, not your coins” is the golden standard. But remember: it’s just a means to an end. Your ultimate goal is not to lose your Bitcoin. Holding your own private keys is often described as the most secure method. Yet history shows that most Bitcoin lost forever wasn’t seized by governments or stolen by hackers—it was lost due to forgotten passphrases, damaged hardware wallets, or poorly executed self-custody setups (often overcomplicated by their owners). Result? People set out to be sovereign and ended up with zero. They lost the mission. —
Self-Custody Is Not Absolute,
Self-custody is not an all-or-nothing badge of honor. It’s a spectrum—sometimes even an aspiration. You work to acquire the knowledge needed to manage that responsibility, and even then, you may choose to sacrifice a degree of control for greater security.
Self-Custody Is Not One-Size-Fits-All,
Different Bitcoiners make different choices:
- Backup Copies: Sometimes the “Bitcoiner of the family” creates a recovery plan where other family members hold key shares or copies. This ensures redundancy via peer recovery. It’s no longer pure self-custody—more like shared custody: “our keys, your coins.”,
- Multisig: Requires multiple parties or devices to move funds. It’s not absolute “self-custody,” but conditional shared custody: “shared keys, your coins.”,
- Trusted Software/Hardware: Many treat self-custody as if it were an ISO-certified guarantee of safety. Few consider that software can have bugs, exploits, or OS vulnerabilities. At best, it’s “your probably-safe keys, your coins.”,
What’s Worse?,
Still holding funds on custodial wallet or forgetting your passphrase? You would answer that you’ll die for your values. I’m proud of you. What about your mom? Would you prefer your non-tech-savvy mom lose her keys while “self-custodying”? Can she really handle backups, passphrases, and device security on her own? What if is she start sharing her custody with her friend dementia? If you hold her keys for her, is that still self-custody? What if she stores her seed phrase and hardware wallet in a trusted security box or with a family member? The answers aren’t black and white. The real risk is losing the Bitcoin altogether. You’ll customize your setup for your needs. —
Design Your Risk, Keep Your Bitcoin,
The goal is survival over decades. Not everyone is as nerdy as you are. Bitcoin requires a security strategy that matches your abilities and evolves over time. Whether you use a hardware wallet, a multisig vault, a family recovery plan, a hybrid approach, or even a trusted custodian:
**The point isn’t to be “pure” in self-custody. The point is to still **have your Bitcoin.