A regulated custody category used in U.S. investment-adviser rules, with legal duties distinct from technical key control.
Qualified custodian is best understood as part of a system rather than as an isolated definition. Its related coordinates show the mechanisms, incentives and historical records that give the term practical meaning.
Qualified custodian belongs to the documented history and social layer around Bitcoin. Primary records can establish what was published, built or decided; motives, influence and later interpretation should remain separate from those verifiable facts.
Understanding Qualified custodian helps distinguish a verifiable Bitcoin mechanism or historical record from slogans, products and market narratives.
For the clearest picture, read this entry together with Institutional bitcoin custody, Bank bitcoin custody, Spot Bitcoin ETP, Asset segregation. The reverse links also lead from Institutional bitcoin custody, Bank bitcoin custody, OCC Interpretive Letter 1170, Asset segregation.
Linked to related atlas coordinates
Grounded in a source record
Explains function and trade-offs
Part of the open Bitcoin knowledge graph