few / answers
Is Fedi custodial?
Short answerYes. A group of guardians, called a federation, holds the bitcoin together. A set number of them must agree to move it. You hold ecash, a claim on that bitcoin.
Steps
- Know what you’re trusting: the guardians hold the keys, you hold ecash.
- Pick a federation with many independent guardians and a high threshold, like 7 of 10.
- Check how long the federation has run.
- Keep amounts you would be fine trusting to that group. Savings that must never depend on anyone belong on your own signer.
- Test that you can get out: pay a Lightning invoice from Fedi to another wallet you control.
FAQ
- Can one guardian run off with the money?
- No. Moving the bitcoin needs the threshold, for example 3 of 4 guardians. One bad, hacked or pressured guardian can’t do it alone.
- Can guardians see what I spend?
- No. Ecash notes are blind-signed, so guardians can’t see who pays whom or how much you hold. Lightning payments in and out are visible to the services that route them.
- What if most guardians collude or vanish?
- Then your ecash is at risk. That’s the trust you take on. Choose guardians you know, and test your exit while the amount is small.