Custody must be designed, not assumed.
The ARCHITECT System is how we turn custody from a setup into living infrastructure.
Why a System Is Required
Bitcoin custody operates under real-world constraints: loss, time, human error, legal processes, and stress.
A one-time configuration cannot account for these dynamics.
Without structure and review, custody assumptions degrade until recovery fails.
A system replaces assumption with validation.
From Setup to Infrastructure
Most custody guidance focuses on tools.
Infrastructure focuses on behavior under failure.
The difference determines whether recovery is possible when it matters.
The ARCHITECT System
Identify threat models, constraints, and non-negotiables specific to your situation.
Treat custody as infrastructure that must endure loss, stress, and time.
Design redundancy and recovery paths without introducing new trust risks.
Reduce exposure to single points of failure, coercion, and operational mistakes.
Apply changes deliberately, minimizing complexity and hidden dependencies.
Validate assumptions through recovery drills and structured reviews.
Adapt the system as life events, jurisdictions, and participants change.
Maintain custody health through a defined cadence of checks and audits.
Validation Over Reassurance
Security theater creates comfort without certainty.
Validation requires testing assumptions under controlled conditions.
A custody system that has never been tested is unverified.
Maintenance Is Not Optional
Custody infrastructure degrades if it is not maintained.
Devices change. People change. Laws change.
Quarterly and annual reviews are how custody remains functional over time.
For you if
- You want a repeatable process, not one-off advice
- You are willing to test recovery assumptions
- You understand that custody requires ongoing responsibility
Not for you if
- You want a static checklist
- You expect permanence without maintenance
- You prefer reassurance over validation
Custody that is not maintained will eventually fail.
Infrastructure endures because it is maintained.