Churches, nonprofits, and foundations holding Bitcoin need custody structures designed for organizational governance — not individual wallets.
When an individual holds Bitcoin, the custody architecture centers on a single holder's keys, a single heir's access, and a single set of recovery procedures. When an organization holds Bitcoin, none of those assumptions hold.
Who controls the keys — and what happens when that person leaves? Who authorizes a transaction — and how many signatories are required? Who has emergency access — and how is that access documented, tested, and transferred across leadership changes? What policy governs the organization's Bitcoin holdings, and who approved that policy?
These are not technical questions. They are governance questions that happen to require a technical solution. An individual's hardware wallet is not that solution. A multisig vault designed for an organization's specific governance structure is.
The most common institutional custody mistake: A church treasurer, a nonprofit CFO, or a board member sets up a hardware wallet in their personal name and holds the seed phrase at home. The organization's Bitcoin depends entirely on one person's continued involvement, continued health, and continued good judgment. When that person leaves — or dies — the organization faces an unrecoverable situation that no policy, no lawyer, and no technical expert can fix after the fact.
Why donor Bitcoin requires particular attention: Accepting a Bitcoin donation commits your organization to a custody decision. "We'll figure out the wallet later" is not a policy. Organizations that accept Bitcoin without a custodial structure in place are holding a donor's gift in an improvised arrangement that may not survive a leadership transition — or even the departure of the person who set up the wallet.
A multisig custody architecture where signing authority is distributed across roles — not individuals. Leadership transitions do not create custody crises. No single person's departure strands your Bitcoin.
Documented protocols for how custody responsibilities transfer when a board member rotates, a treasurer changes, or executive leadership turns over. The organization's Bitcoin security does not depend on any individual's continued involvement.
A Bitcoin holding policy appropriate for board approval — covering how Bitcoin is acquired, how it is custodied, who has signing authority, under what conditions transactions are authorized, and how the policy is reviewed and updated.
How to accept, acknowledge, and custody Bitcoin donations — including the custody handoff from donor to organization, the appropriate gift acknowledgment for tax purposes, and the custody policy your donors should know about before giving.
Coordination with your legal counsel on organizational ownership, liability, and fiduciary questions arising from Bitcoin holdings. I handle the custody and technical side; your attorney handles the organizational and legal questions.
An orientation session for the staff and board members involved in your Bitcoin custody — what Bitcoin is, how it is held, what their role is, and what they should do (and not do) to maintain the security of your holdings.
Churches and religious organizations receiving Bitcoin donations or holding Bitcoin as part of their treasury.
Nonprofit organizations and foundations with Bitcoin donations or treasury holdings requiring board-appropriate governance.
Multi-generational family offices with governance complexity — multiple principals, multiple advisors, and holdings that cross generations.
Schools, universities, and endowments receiving or holding Bitcoin who need a custody structure appropriate for fiduciary management.
Understanding your organization's structure, signing authority, leadership rotation, and existing Bitcoin situation — if any.
A multisig design matched to your organization's governance structure — number of signatories, key holders, recovery procedures, and leadership transition protocols.
Guiding your organization through the implementation of the recommended custody architecture — step by step, with no technical background assumed.
A Bitcoin holding policy appropriate for board approval, covering all the governance dimensions your organization needs to address.
An orientation session for the people who will interact with your Bitcoin custody — so the policy is understood and the architecture is operational.
Institutional engagements are scoped individually based on your organization's size, governance structure, and current Bitcoin situation. Contact me for a preliminary conversation — no obligation.
Schedule an institutional consultation to discuss your situation.
Schedule an Institutional Consultation