The introduction of Bitcoin and its underlying technology catalyzed a broader movement towards self-custody, not just in digital currency but across various aspects of the internet and financial systems. Public and private key cryptography became fundamental to this movement, allowing individuals to take control of their digital identities, assets, and transactions without relying on intermediaries.

As more decentralized applications and platforms emerged, the idea of self-custody began to gain traction. The Ethereum network, launched in 2015, expanded the use of blockchain technology beyond digital currency, introducing smart contracts that allowed for complex, self-executing agreements without the need for a central authority. These developments highlighted the potential for self-custody to reassert itself as a dominant model in both finance and digital identity management.

Today, self-custody is no longer a niche concept; it is a fundamental principle underpinning the growing ecosystem of decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and decentralized applications (dApps). This reintroduction of self-custody into society represents a return to the autonomy and personal responsibility that characterized the earliest forms of trade and exchange. It challenges the custodial norms that have dominated for centuries and offers a new paradigm where individuals, rather than institutions, hold the keys to their own wealth and identity.