Frequently asked questions

We provide private individuals (HNWI) and companies with technical support for the independent custody of their Bitcoin holdings. Our expertise lies in redundant, multi-layered self-custody concepts that ensure the highest security and the client's sole control.

Our service is aimed at private individuals and companies with Bitcoin holdings above EUR 1,000,000. Typical clients are high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, family offices and foundations looking for a professional solution for the secure storage of their Bitcoin.

The fees consist of a one-off setup fee and an ongoing service fee. We discuss the details and your individual requirements in a no-obligation introductory call. Our fees are transparent and agreed in advance.

In the introductory call we get to know your situation: how do you currently store your Bitcoin? What security requirements do you have? Is there an existing inheritance arrangement? On this basis we draft an individual proposal for your security concept. The call is non-binding and confidential.

We are based in Frankfurt am Main but serve clients across the DACH region and internationally. The security concept can be set up in person on site, at your premises or at a neutral location.

Bitcoin self custody means that you have sole control over your private keys. Unlike custody on an exchange or via an ETF, you actually own your Bitcoin yourself. No one can block your access, freeze it or seize your holdings. Self custody is the only form in which Bitcoin develops its full potential as an independent store of value.

Holding Bitcoin on an exchange means trusting a third party. History shows that this trust has been disappointed repeatedly: hacks (Mt. Gox, Bitfinex), insolvencies (FTX, Celsius) or regulatory intervention can lead to total loss. As long as you do not hold the private keys, you only hold a claim against the operator. In 2024 alone, more than USD 2.3 billion was stolen from crypto exchanges through security incidents.

A hot wallet is connected to the internet and is suitable for smaller amounts in everyday use. Cold storage means keeping the private keys on devices or media that are never connected to the internet. For significant Bitcoin holdings, cold storage is the only acceptable method. Our solutions are based exclusively on cold storage.

Multisig (multi-signature) means that several independent keys are required for a transaction. Example: in a 2-of-3 setup, three keys exist, two of which are required for any transaction. This eliminates the single point of failure: even if one key is lost or compromised, your Bitcoin remain safe and available.

With a simple wallet (single-sig), losing the key means the irreversible loss of the Bitcoin. Estimates suggest that between 3.5 and 4.5 million Bitcoin are permanently lost because owners lost access. This is precisely the risk we eliminate through our security concept: with multisig and redundant backup strategies we ensure that the loss of a single key does not lead to the loss of your Bitcoin.

Improper self custody is risky, yes. A simple wallet on a USB stick without a backup strategy is a substantial risk. Professional self custody with a well-considered security concept, however, is the safest way to hold Bitcoin. Our approach combines multisig, geographic distribution, redundant backups and estate planning to systematically eliminate all relevant risks.

A single point of failure is a single weakness whose failure leads to total loss: a single key, a single storage location, a single person with access. Our security concept eliminates every single point of failure through redundancy on all levels: multiple keys (multisig), multiple storage locations (geographic distribution) and multiple access paths (estate planning).

A Bitcoin ETF offers easy access via a securities account but no real ownership. You hold paper claims against the ETF issuer, not Bitcoin itself. With self custody you control the private keys and therefore your wealth directly. For investors who value true ownership and independence from third parties, self custody is the superior solution.

Schwarzberg provides technical support for setting up your security architecture with cold storage in self custody as well as multi-signature solutions including estate planning, so that your assets remain permanently safe and available. The concept is tailored to your individual requirements and includes multi-stage key management with built-in redundancy.

Your keys are stored at different physical locations. This ensures that neither a burglary, fire, natural disaster nor a local incident can lead to the loss of your Bitcoin. The concrete locations are determined together with you and known exclusively to you.

No. Schwarzberg never has access to your private keys and no knowledge of the respective storage location. You retain one hundred percent wealth autonomy. This is a fundamental principle of our work and distinguishes us from custodial solutions.

We recommend regular audits of your security concept to ensure that all components are functional and up to date. Together we check: are all keys at their storage locations? Do all hardware wallets work? Is the estate plan still current? You determine the frequency; we recommend at least once a year.

Without estate planning, your Bitcoin will most likely be lost to your heirs in the event of your death. As part of setting up your security concept, Schwarzberg creates a detailed estate plan. This ensures that during your lifetime no one other than you has access to your wealth. In the event of your death, a multi-stage process is initiated that guarantees your heirs access to your Bitcoin.

Our inheritance arrangement is based on a protocol-driven system that works without our involvement. In the inheritance case, your heirs gain access to a documented procedure and the keys required to access your Bitcoin. The process is designed to be feasible even without deep technical understanding. On request we stand by your heirs as a contact for technical support.

Yes, this is a central part of our estate planning. We create detailed, understandable documentation that guides your heirs step by step through the process. In addition, we offer direct support to your heirs in the inheritance case.

Our technical inheritance concept works independently of notarial arrangements. We do, however, recommend aligning the Bitcoin estate planning with your existing will and your legal advisor in order to ensure a seamless arrangement across all assets.

A company holding Bitcoin on its own balance sheet (treasury) can keep them in self custody with a multi-signature concept. Sole control remains within the company, without dependence on an exchange or custodian. Schwarzberg provides technical support in building a security architecture of cold storage and multisig in which several authorised signatories are involved and no single person can dispose of the wealth alone.

Multi-signature implements the four-eyes principle technically. In a 2-of-3 setup, the keys are distributed among different signatories, so at least two persons must act together for every transaction. No single person can move Bitcoin alone. If a person leaves, the wealth remains accessible via the remaining keys.

Yes. For a Bitcoin treasury, multisig provides real ownership, resilience and clean governance at the same time. The concept distributes control across several key holders and locations and is protected against the failure of individual persons or storage locations. Schwarzberg designs the setup individually according to the company's internal requirements.

Many enterprises want to engage with Bitcoin self custody but do not yet have specialised in-house know-how. Schwarzberg provides technical guidance through the build-up: from designing the security architecture and implementing the multisig setup through to documentation and training the responsible staff. The goal is for the company to run self custody permanently on its own, with Schwarzberg as a technical partner in the background.

The security concept is designed so that the absence or change of a single person does not endanger the availability of the Bitcoin. Through multisig and geographic key distribution, the wealth remains accessible at all times via the remaining keys. A documented process governs how keys are securely handed over or reset when personnel changes occur.

Yes. Family offices that want to hold Bitcoin directly benefit from a multisig concept with a clear access and inheritance arrangement. Schwarzberg provides technical support for the build-up so that the family office retains sole control over the keys and Schwarzberg never has access. The setup can be tailored individually per mandate or structure.

No. Schwarzberg is neither an exchange nor a trading venue. We do not buy, sell or trade Bitcoin. Our service is strictly limited to technical support for the secure self custody of existing Bitcoin holdings.

No. Schwarzberg does not provide any advice on crypto assets and makes no recommendations on the purchase, sale or valuation of Bitcoin or other crypto assets. Our services are exclusively technical in nature.

Schwarzberg provides exclusively technical support for the self custody of Bitcoin. We do not hold or manage Bitcoin for our clients. We never have access to the private keys. Likewise we provide no advice on crypto assets, meaning we make no recommendations on the purchase, sale or valuation of crypto assets or crypto service providers.