Key agent, not custodian.
The Bitcoin Adviser may act as the normal second approval within a client-controlled vault. We can support authorised signing workflows, continuity events, and recovery workflows, but we cannot initiate a client transaction or move client Bitcoin alone.
Key agency is the professional signing role inside collaborative security: continuity support without custody, without the power to start transactions, and without making TBA permanently necessary.
The deeper value is continuity through a trusted relationship: your family and professional partners know who to contact, and what verification and signing steps follow, when a continuity event occurs. Related: Continuity and Bitcoin Executor Support.
What key agency means
Key agency is a professional signing role inside a collaborative security model. It means The Bitcoin Adviser may hold or operate one key under a documented policy, where agreed in writing with the client. TBA is the normal second approver for day to day sends, not the only possible second approver.
Only you can initiate a transaction. TBA’s role is to approve a transaction you have started after security checks, not to decide when Bitcoin moves and not to lock you out.
- We may act as one key agent in a client-controlled vault.
- We cannot initiate a transaction.
- We cannot move funds alone.
- We do not pool client assets.
- We do not hold Bitcoin on our balance sheet.
- We do not trade, lend, or rehypothecate client Bitcoin.
- We approve only after documented checks; we may decline to use our own key if those checks are not satisfied.
Key agency supports continuity without becoming custody. How initiation and approvals work: How signing works. How each key is protected: How keys are protected.
Why key agency exists
Solo self-custody can become fragile when one person, one device, or one memory becomes the critical dependency. Key agency gives the client a professional continuity layer without surrendering control to a custodian.
Key agent support matters most when the original holder is unavailable, uncertain, under stress, or coordinating with other people.
Device loss
Structured recovery paths instead of panic when hardware fails.
Signer unavailable
Continuity when a signer cannot respond on short notice.
Inheritance event
Operational readiness aligned with documents and heirs.
Suspicious request
Policy-aligned verification before any co-sign.
Family or trustee uncertainty
Clear roles so fiduciaries are not improvising.
Platform migration
Support through vault or signer transitions.
What key agency is not
Key agency is not custody. It is not portfolio management. It is not discretionary control. It is not a guarantee against loss.
| Key agency is | Key agency is not |
|---|---|
| One role in a multisig policy | Custody of client Bitcoin |
| Authorisation-based co-signing | Unilateral control |
| Continuity support | Investment management |
| Process and documentation | A guarantee of recovery |
| Client-controlled structure | Pooled or omnibus custody |
Formal service boundaries: Scope, risks & important information.
How it works in practice
- Client initiates the transaction.
- Request is checked against documented policy.
- Identity and authorisation are verified where required, including DocuSign Identity Verification and adviser confirmation for applicable workflows.
- TBA approves with its key only if the request passes security checks and is consistent with the policy. TBA may decline to use its own key.
- Records and documentation are maintained as appropriate.
Only you can initiate a transaction. Normally, you and TBA approve it together. TBA cannot initiate a transaction, move your Bitcoin alone or lock you out. The fallback process differs between Theya and Unchained. How signing works →
How it connects to the rest of TBA
- Collaborative Security: the custody model and multisig structure.
- How signing works: who can initiate, who normally approves, and Theya vs Unchained fallback.
- Key Agent: this page, TBA’s role inside that structure.
- Estate Plan Protocol: continuity documentation layer.
- Education & Advisory: stakeholder competence.
- Family offices & institutional Bitcoin: canonical framing for the Bitcoin control layer and governance-led operating model.
- Bitcoin Executor Support: executor and trustee operational path (authority vs control).
- Scope & Risks: formal boundaries and disclaimers.
- Bitcoin income: how spending and allocation choices interact with long-term Bitcoin exposure (educational framing, not advice).
For inheritance-specific framing of legal authority versus operational control, see Estate Planning & Inheritance.
Questions about key agency
Are you a custodian?
No. Key agency is a signing role inside your collaborative structure.
We do not take custody of client Bitcoin, pool assets, or control funds unilaterally.
Can TBA move my Bitcoin without me?
No. TBA cannot initiate a transaction and cannot move client Bitcoin alone.
Approval follows documented policy and verification after you have started the transaction. See How signing works.
What happens if I lose my key?
Losing one device or key usually does not freeze funds.
If you still control a client key, you can initiate a transaction and seek the second approval needed. Day to day that is TBA. As a fallback, the vault company can provide a second approval, subject to its security checks. Nothing guarantees recovery in every scenario. See How signing works.
Can TBA stop me accessing my Bitcoin?
TBA cannot permanently lock you out.
TBA will only approve after its security checks. If TBA cannot assist, that does not make TBA permanently necessary. You could still initiate a transaction and seek the vault company’s second approval, subject to its checks.
What if I want to leave TBA?
You can change structure or providers when your situation changes.
We aim for orderly transitions so continuity stays intact.
Is key agency the same as custody?
No. Custody implies control or holding on behalf of others in ways key agency explicitly avoids.
Key agency is authorisation-based co-signing within a client-controlled multisig policy.
Does key agency mean you provide financial advice?
No. We do not provide investment, tax, or legal advice.
Our role is operational and educational within agreed boundaries.
How does key agency support inheritance?
It pairs multisig continuity with documentation and heir readiness.
Use an Estate Plan Protocol where you have one. See Estate Planning & Inheritance.
What happens if The Bitcoin Adviser is unavailable?
Your multisig structure is designed so no single party, including TBA, can move funds alone.
Firm continuity and governance if we are unavailable: Continuity. Full boundaries: Scope & risks.
Want to understand whether key agent support fits your setup?
Book a custody review to discuss collaborative security, signing roles, continuity planning, and whether The Bitcoin Adviser should act as a key agent in your structure.