Custodial vs non-custodial wallets
The difference is who can move the funds. With a custodial wallet a company holds the keys and you hold a claim on it. With a non-custodial wallet, the keys are yours and nobody can move the funds without your authorisation.
Updated 2026-10-11
Side by side
| Custodial | Non-custodial | |
|---|---|---|
| Who holds the keys | The company | You |
| Account recovery | The company can often reset access | Depends on your own backup of the key |
| If the company fails | Your funds are exposed to its solvency | Your funds are on-chain under your keys |
| Your responsibility | Protect your login | Protect your keys and access |
How Verve wallets work
Verve wallets are non-custodial. Keys are generated and held in secure infrastructure provided by Turnkey, and you can export them at any time. Trading access, Copilot authority and automatic transfers are permissions you grant and can revoke.
The trade-offs to understand
- Non-custodial means nobody, including Verve, can recover a key you lose and did not back up.
- Anyone who obtains your exported key controls the wallet. Store it offline and never share it.
- Convenience features such as one-click trading work through permissions you can turn off.
Can Verve move my funds without me?
Verve wallets are non-custodial. Actions that spend funds run on the permissions you grant, and trading access can be turned off.
Can I take my keys elsewhere?
Yes. You can export a wallet's private key and use it with any compatible wallet.