Multisig
SECURITYDEFINITION
A wallet requiring multiple keys to spend — like a safe deposit box needing two of three keys. Removes the single point of failure that dooms most self-custody.
A 2-of-3 multisig spreads three keys across devices or locations; any two authorize a spend. Lose one key: recover with the other two. A thief finds one key: useless alone. That failure-tolerance is why serious holdings graduate to multisig.
IN A SENTENCE
“Their family vault is a 2-of-3 multisig: one key at home, one in a bank box, one with Unchained.”
Key facts
Common questions
Is multisig overkill for me?
Below serious amounts, a single hardware wallet with a good backup is fine. When loss would change your life, redundancy earns its complexity.
Multisig or passphrase?
Different tools: passphrases add a second secret to one key; multisig removes single points of failure entirely. Large holdings often use both.