Direct control of the private keys required to authorize spending, with no custodian in the path.
Self-custody 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.
Self-custody should be evaluated against a concrete threat model: what is protected, from whom, for how long and at what operational cost. A design may remove one dependency while introducing another, so custody, privacy and verification must be judged as a complete system.
Understanding Self-custody helps distinguish a verifiable Bitcoin mechanism or historical record from slogans, products and market narratives.
For the clearest picture, read this entry together with Private Key, Cold storage, Custodial exchange. The reverse links also lead from Cold storage, Watchtower, Know Your Customer, Custodial exchange.
Linked to related atlas coordinates
Grounded in a source record
Explains function and trade-offs
Part of the open Bitcoin knowledge graph