Why Self-Custody Matters More Than Ever

FTX, Celsius, Voyager, BlockFi. The lesson: funds on exchanges are the exchange's liabilities. In bankruptcy, you're an unsecured creditor.

What Self-Custody Means

You control the private keys. No intermediary can freeze, seize, or lose your funds. Ledger stores keys in a Secure Element; you approve every transaction on-device.

Why Now

• Exchange risk: Even reputable exchanges can fail or be hacked
• Regulatory uncertainty: Governments may restrict or freeze exchange accounts
• Growing adoption: Exchanges are honeypots for attackers
• Your responsibility: You are your own bank

The Self-Custody Mindset

• Back up your recovery phrase in multiple secure locations
• Understand your wallet — seed phrase vs passphrase
• Verify everything on the Ledger screen
• Use a dedicated device for crypto

When Exchange Custody Makes Sense

Active trading, small operational balances. Keep only what you need. Above your threshold — to the Ledger.

Self-custody is the foundation of crypto's value proposition: sovereign ownership. The Ledger on your desk is your claim to sovereignty.