Crypto Custody & Insurance | Why You Should Have It (2024)

FAQs

Why is crypto custody important? ›

Custody in cryptocurrency, or “crypto custody,” refers to the act of keeping private keys safe within an independent wallet that does not belong to a crypto exchange, thus giving sole responsibility for protecting both security and risk in regards to this crypto wallet and securing your crypto assets.

This policy covers the direct loss of crypto assets through a crime such as a misuse, theft, hacking, and cyber fraud of crypto assets. In this context, the insured can claim damages arising from a crime against cryptocurrencies from the insurer. Every company faces cyber risk.

Selecting a qualified crypto custodian is crucial for the security and protection of your digital assets. It requires careful consideration of regulatory compliance, security standards, service offerings, reputation, insurance coverage, and fees.

Crypto custody can have a material impact on the company and the audit. If control over digital assets is lost, it might lead to a write-down of assets and/or the booking of additional liabilities on the balance sheet.

A custodian bank holds financial assets for safekeeping to minimize the risk of theft or loss. Investment advisors are required to arrange for a custodian for assets they manage for their clients. These assets may be stored in physical or electronic form.

By holding their private keys, bitcoin users can mitigate the risks associated with entrusting their funds to third parties, such as exchanges or custodians. Self custody eliminates the potential for fraud, negligence, or regulatory failure that can occur when a counterparty controls a person's funds.

DeFi insurance allows people to protect their assets through smart contracts that pool funds from multiple people to cover potential losses. The premiums paid by people are used to create a pool of funds that can be used to pay out claims in the event of a covered loss.

Our research suggests crypto insurance for individuals will cost in the region of 2.5% of the investment, for example, insurance for the equivalent of $100,000 of crypto would cost $2,454, significantly higher than the cost of theft protection technology to prevent the theft in the first place.

Coinbase Custody

Coinbase Custody stands out for its simplicity and seamless integration within the Coinbase ecosystem. If you're already a Coinbase user, this custodian offers a convenient way to store your cryptocurrency with additional security layers, especially for larger holdings.

Is crypto protected in divorce? ›

Cryptocurrency will either be viewed as marital or separate property. If it was acquired during the marriage using marital funds, it would typically be considered a marital asset. However, if one spouse purchased cryptocurrency before marriage or used separate property funds, it may remain separate.

During divorce proceedings, cryptocurrencies present a significant challenge as they're difficult to track, locate, and account for. Besides, there are no records to verify the existence of these bitcoins. So for the deceitful spouse, cryptocurrencies act as the perfect cover to hide away big-money assets.

Scammers and hackers

Cryptocurrency holders and users are also often targeted by scammers and tricksters. It is especially important to be wary of fake websites and phishing emails that pretend to be from reputable sources—no reputable crypto asset issuer or service provider will ask for your private keys or passwords.

Hackers can gain access to cryptocurrency owners' cryptocurrency wallets, exchange accounts, or the exchanges themselves. Ransomware and scams are also used to steal cryptocurrency.

The main difference between custodial and non-custodial wallets is that custodial wallets give a third party the permission to hold your private keys, whereas non-custodial wallets give you sovereign control of your private keys.

Using non-custodial wallets, cryptocurrency investors may operate as their own bank. This is so that users have complete control over their private keys while using non-custodial wallets. The wallet provider cannot access the private keys; hence the user is the only one who can approve transactions.

Going into effect in 2022, the SEC's SAB 121 directs the majority of SEC-registered companies holding crypto assets on behalf of clients to record that risk on the custodian's balance sheet as a liability.

Coinbase Custody

As a leading bitcoin custody provider, Coinbase subjects its technology to frequent, standardized auditing operations. Additionally, Coinbase users can stake funds straight from their offline wallets to earn yield (like earning interest on a money market or savings account).