Controlling your own private keys rather than relying on a third party.
Self-custody means users hold their keys and are responsible for security practices like backups, device hygiene, and inheritance planning. It eliminates counterparty risk but increases personal responsibility.
"By moving funds from an exchange to a self-custody wallet and backing up the seed, Alex removes exchange risk but must now secure his own keys."
All terms and definitions may update as the Cryptionary improves.