“Not your keys, not your coins” is Bitcoin gospel—but is full self-custody always the best play?

In high-crime zones where physical threats are real (home invasions, kidnappings, $5 wrench attacks), coercion can hand over everything in minutes. 2025 has seen dozens of violent crypto thefts worldwide—torture and worse aren’t hypotheticals.

Self-custody gives sovereignty and no counterparty risk. But in extreme opsec environments? Multisig with geographically split keys, decoy wallets, or even collaborative/insured custody might save your life (and stack) by making instant theft impossible.

And what about liquidity? If you trade actively or need quick access, keeping everything locked in cold multisig can feel like parking a Ferrari in a vault. Some split stacks: bulk in resilient multisig for HODL, smaller portion on a regulated exchange (or hot wallet) for trading—accepting counterparty risk only on what you can afford to lose.

No flaunting holdings. Ever. Privacy first.

Threat model matters—there’s no universal answer.

What’s your setup in a dangerous spot? Pure self-custody multisig? Hybrid with some CEX liquidity? Silent HODL?

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