talk
· Taipei 2025
Self-Custody ≠ Sovereignty: Permission-less continuity > Unilateral Exit
Most Bitcoin tools stop at self-custody, but self-custody only gives permissionless exit. Real sovereignty requires permissionless use and permissionless continuity — the ability for a tool to keep functioning w/o the creator if needed. Developers rarely see this side because the real chokepoints aren’t in code; they’re in governance, regulation, incentives, and legal structures that quietly shape what tools can or cannot ship. This talk uses real examples to show why technically sound systems still fail, why most wallets today aren’t actually sovereign, and why developers themselves should care about building tools that outlive the entities that create them.
