"Self-custody" sounds technical. For you as a merchant, it comes down to three plain things: The money is yours the moment it arrives. No platform balance holding it, no waiting for anyone to release it, and it can't be frozen because someone else got into trouble. Only you can move it. Payouts happen with your keys. That's the whole point — and it also means keeping those keys safe is your responsibility. Back up, and you're safe. Since no one else holds your keys, no one else can recover them. Keep your recovery phrase offline, in more than one safe place. Do that once, and self-custody quietly works in your favor. That's the trade: a small, one-time responsibility (guard your keys) in exchange for money that no longer depends on anyone else's survival. Questions? Reply below — better to ask now than later.