# Is Fedi custodial?

> Yes. 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.

- Web version: https://few.guide/answers/is-fedi-custodial.html
- Checked against fedimint.org (https://fedimint.org/), docs.fedimint.org (https://docs.fedimint.org/) on 19 October 2026

## Steps

1. Know what you’re trusting: the guardians hold the keys, you hold ecash.
2. Pick a federation with many independent guardians and a high threshold, like 7 of 10.
3. Check how long the federation has run.
4. Keep amounts you would be fine trusting to that group. Savings that must never depend on anyone belong on your own signer.
5. 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.

## Go deeper

- [Set up Fedi](https://few.guide/guides/fedi-wallet.html)
- [Fedimint project](https://fedimint.org/)
- [Hold your own keys with a SeedSigner](https://few.guide/guides/seedsigner-sparrow.html)