Hold crypto safely as a family

Self-custody basics: protect your keys, avoid common scams and make sure your family can inherit what you hold.

Time
One afternoon
You'll need
A hardware wallet · A fireproof place for your recovery phrase
You'll end up with
Keys stored safely, a plan for inheritance and a family that knows the common scams.

The steps

  1. 01

    Know what you hold and where

    List every exchange account and wallet, what's in it and whether you or a company holds the keys.

  2. 02

    Secure the recovery phrase

    Write it on paper or metal, never in a photo, email, cloud note or AI chat. Store it somewhere safe from fire and theft, and consider a second copy in a separate location.

  3. 03

    Plan for inheritance

    Your family can't recover self-custodied assets without the phrase. Record in your "if something happens" file where it's kept and how to access it, and discuss it with your lawyer.

  4. 04

    Learn the three big scams

    Anyone asking for your recovery phrase is a scammer, always. Fake support accounts reply to your posts. "Guaranteed returns" are a lie.

What breaks

  • A single copy of the recovery phrase that one person knows about.

Keep it safe

  • No legitimate company, wallet or support person will ever ask for your recovery phrase.
  • This isn't investment advice. Digital assets can lose all of their value.

How you'll know it worked

  • Your family could recover your assets if needed.
  • Nobody in the family has shared a recovery phrase.

Do it with Hayek

Self-custody digital treasury and asset management.

Institutions and family offices manage self-custodied accounts across EVM and Solana, with native crypto payment rails.

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