custody
A service where a third party holds and safeguards your assets.
Custody means a company or institution holds your money, stocks, crypto, or other valuables on your behalf. You own the assets, but the custodian physically stores them and manages the paperwork—much like a bank holds your cash in a vault. This is common in finance because many people prefer not to keep large amounts of money or securities at home.
When you see custody in headlines, it usually means someone is asking whether their assets are truly safe with a particular custodian. This matters because if the custodian goes bankrupt or is hacked, your assets could be at risk. In crypto specifically, custody is a big topic because people debate whether holding crypto at an exchange (which acts as custodian) is safer than self-custody (holding your own private keys). Understanding who holds your assets and what protections exist is important for any investor.
Stories mentioning this
Written once as a plain-English reference, not as advice. Nothing here is a recommendation to buy or sell anything.