Bitcoin Self-Custody Options

Here are the main ways to custody bitcoin, from least to most self-sovereign:

Bitcoin Custody Options

Centralized Exchange - Shared custody wallets (Coinbase, Kraken). Some like River and Swan* allow buying/holding but not deposits
Mobile Apps - Strike, Fold (simplified custody)
Single-Signature Hardware - Trezor, ColdCard (the word “wallet” is not quite right, these are transaction signers)
Hybrid-Signature - BitKey (multi-signature with unique recovery paths)
Self-Managed Multi-Signature - 2-of-3 setup using Sparrow and hardware signers
Assisted (or Collaborative) Multi-Signature — Companies like Unchained, Casa, or Swan hold 1 key, you control 2-4 keys plus backups
Institutional (multi-party) Multi-Signature — All keys held by separate companies (like Onramp). Requires identity verification for transactions

The easiest but not actual Bitcoin...

Bitcoin ETF - This is in essence having a third party hold bitcoin for you with a relatively low annual fee (~0.25%). Self Custody is better, but this is an option

Important Considerations