Self-Custody, Explained

Self-custody is the practice of having direct, sole control over your digital assets by holding their private keys yourself rather than relying on a third-party service. This grants you full financial autonomy, making you your own bank, but also places the full responsibility for securing and managing those assets entirely on you.

What “self-custody” means

Think of a wallet like a locked box.

• Custodial: Someone else holds the key and opens the box on request. Convenient—until they can’t (outages), won’t (freezes), or shouldn’t (custodian risk).
  

• Self-custody: You hold the key. No permission required. If you hold it, you control the money; if someone else holds it, they ultimately control access.
  

Convenience that depends on someone else’s key is temporary convenience. Long-term resilience comes from ownership.

Why it matters in everyday life

• Direct & Instant Access: Self-custody lets you move funds anytime, any day. This means 24/7 access and no weekend deláy.
  
  
• Fewer gatekeepers. No third party can freeze your account or cap withdrawals. You decide when and how to move your money.
  
  
• Confidence & control. You hold the keys, so you’re 100% in control of your wallet and access—no one else can block, delay, or take custody of your funds.

In moments that matter—family emergencies, time-sensitive bills, cross-time-zone work—control beats convenience every time.

How Wello keeps self-custody simple

Wello is built to give you the full self-custody experience while we keep the everyday transactions straightforward:

• Buy in 2 clicks with Apple Pay, bank cards, or local rails. Funds go straight to your wallet.
  

• Send in minutes, even on weekends, with fees shown before you confirm.
  

• Hold a stable balance (digital dollars/euros) and convert only what you need, when you need it.
  

• Cash out locally where supported, so the money you send is useful right away.
  

• Handy touches: send by username/QR, see balances in your local currency, and get clear receipts and status for every transfer.
  

Self-custody shouldn’t feel technical. It should feel like any good payment app: simple, clear, and in your control.

Bottom line

Self-custody gives you real control over your money. Wello brings that control into everyday life—buy in two clicks, send in minutes, and use funds locally—without turning you into a tech expert. That’s financial control, made simple for you.