Keeping your crypto secure requires extra precautions in case of unforeseen circumstances to ensure your assets aren't permanently lost. Learn how to plan for the unexpected to effectively secure your crypto for the long term, while avoiding the risk of loss and theft.

Before we dive into advanced strategies for protecting your cryptocurrencies, it's important to master the basics. To do this, check out our guide to the 5 fundamental principles to follow to ensure the security of your cryptocurrencies .

Here are 5 advanced strategies to secure your cryptos in the long term and avoid any irreversible loss 👇

Prepare a contingency plan

Even if your cryptocurrency security is optimized, an unforeseen event can occur at any time. It's therefore essential to prepare for the worst to avoid any irreversible loss of your funds.

Activate a “dead man’s switch” service

A dead man's switch is a service that automatically sends instructions or a specific message to a third party in the event of prolonged inactivity on your wallet. Services like Sarcophagus allow you to configure this mechanism to ensure that your crypto assets don't remain blocked if you are unable to access them, for example, in the event of an accident or disappearance.

These services allow you to transfer your funds or send information to a loved one, ensuring that your cryptocurrencies are secure, even if something prevents you from taking action.

Keep a secure, encrypted cloud backup

A popular and convenient method is to store your seed phrase in a cloud, but in an encrypted form. Using a tool like Cryptomator allows you to create a backup copy that will remain unreadable to anyone except you.

This has the advantage of being accessible anywhere, provided you have an internet connection, while maintaining a high level of security. It's an effective alternative to physical storage, which can be vulnerable to loss or theft.



Activate a panic phrase on your hardware wallet

Hardware wallets, like the ColdCard , offer a powerful feature: the " panic phrase ." This is a backup code that, when entered, activates a fake wallet that is visible to anyone trying to access your Bitcoins under duress.

In other words, if you're in a situation where you need to protect your funds, you can hide your real funds behind this fake interface. This helps protect your assets in the event of pressure or threats, while ensuring no unauthorized access is possible.

Inform a trusted person

It's essential to have a way for a trusted person to recover your crypto if you're unable to do so. Shamir's secret key sharing algorithm allows you to split your private key into several parts and distribute them among multiple people. No single person will be able to access your funds, but a group can restore access if necessary.

In addition to this technical solution, writing detailed instructions on how to recover your funds and keeping them in a secure safe or with a notary can be a good precaution. This way, your loved ones will be able to act quickly and efficiently if anything unexpected happens.

Learn how to use a time lock

A time lock allows you to schedule the use of your cryptocurrencies for a future date or under certain conditions. 

This mechanism is ideal for delaying transactions, preventing theft, and even implementing forced savings strategies. Here are some solutions to incorporate into your Bitcoin time lock strategy:

nLockTime: Delay the broadcast of a transaction

The nLockTime mechanism allows you to schedule a transaction so that it is only valid from a specific date or after a certain time. Once this condition is met, your transaction will be authorized, but until this time has passed, it cannot be included in a block.

This mechanism ensures that funds will not be spent before the specified date, providing additional protection against impulsive decisions or quick theft.

CheckLockTimeVerify (CLTV): Lock funds until a specific date

CheckLockTimeVerify (CLTV) goes further than nLockTime by locking your BTC directly to the address where it is stored, preventing it from being spent until a specific date or block is reached.

CLTV adds a restriction to the transaction code, verifying that your lock is respected before authorizing the spend. If a user attempts to spend your BTC before the time condition is met, the transaction will fail.

CheckSequenceVerify (CSV): Impose a delay before spending funds

CheckSequenceVerify (CSV) introduces a time limit relative to the transaction. Unlike nLockTime or CLTV, where the restriction is defined by a specific date or block, CSV imposes a time limit in terms of the number of blocks or time after your transaction is created and before it is validated.

CSV blocks access to your BTC for a set period of time after the transaction is created. This delay ensures that the funds cannot be spent immediately.

Adopt discreet digital and physical practices

Cryptocurrency adoption has grown significantly in recent years. However, this growing interest in these digital assets has also attracted the attention of malicious actors. 

Therefore, it is becoming crucial for crypto holders to implement discreet practices, both in the digital and physical worlds, to protect their privacy and avoid potential risks.

Never disclose your cryptocurrency holdings

With knowledge of your cryptocurrency wealth, malicious individuals may choose to target you, including through extortion or physical threats against you or your loved ones. This can also lead to the risk of doxing , where personal information is collected to track you or monitor your habits.

Staying discreet is the first defense against targeted attacks, whether in the physical or digital world.

Be discreet on social media

Sharing personal information on social media, even in a trivial way, can lead to major risks. Doxing is the practice of searching for and disclosing personal information about a person, often with the aim of intimidating or harming them.

On social media, it's surprisingly easy to harvest information through SOCMInt (Social Media Intelligence), a method of gathering information from publicly available online data. With this information, cybercriminals can exploit details such as your location, lifestyle, family, workplace, or even travel history.

These personal details, combined together, make it easier for attackers to plan and customize physical or digital attacks. Therefore, it's essential to maintain discretion on social media by limiting the personal information you share publicly.



Reduce your risky behaviors

Reducing your risky behaviors is essential to ensuring your safety. For example, it's best to avoid using cryptocurrency ATMs, which are sometimes monitored by cameras or malicious individuals. This can make it easy to track you, with consequences such as physical theft or attempted extortion.

Likewise, it is not recommended to publicly check your balance or make transactions in crowded places; instead, opt for secure and private environments.

Finally, while events like conferences and meetups offer great networking opportunities, they can also be fertile ground for fraud or theft. Always be vigilant about your interactions and the protection of your personal information.

Continuous training and information

Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies are initially based on a model of individual sovereignty, meaning that you are solely responsible for the security of your assets.



Unlike traditional banking systems, which offer safeguards and recourse in the event of a problem, blockchain operates on a model without intermediaries. This means that a mistake, such as losing a private key or sending funds to the wrong address, is final and irreversible.

Understanding how Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies work in depth is therefore not an option, but a necessity. Mastering the rules means accepting the responsibility they impose and avoiding mistakes with irreparable consequences.

Additionally, like any new technology, cryptocurrencies evolve rapidly. Phishing attacks, malware targeting wallets, and security vulnerabilities discovered on certain platforms require constant vigilance. An uninformed user is exposed to numerous pitfalls, such as fake websites, wallet scams, and social engineering scams.

Finally, Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies are a disruptive industry that faces constant adaptations, whether technological (protocol developments, new solutions) or regulatory (legislative changes governing the use and taxation of cryptoassets). Ignoring these developments means running the risk of finding yourself vulnerable, or even illegal.

Imagine the succession of your cryptos

With cryptocurrencies, it's important to understand that we're talking about ownership rather than holding. Unlike traditional assets like real estate or bank accounts, where you hold a form of ownership through an intermediary (the bank, the government, etc.), with cryptocurrencies, you are the sole, direct owner. This means you have complete control over your funds, but you also assume full responsibility for them.

This is where estate planning becomes a crucial issue. Without proper planning, there's a real risk your crypto assets will be permanently lost, as no one but you can access them without your private keys.

Documenting your succession strategy is therefore an essential step to ensure the continuity of your cryptocurrencies after your death. It's essential to have a formalized document detailing precisely the steps your heirs must take to recover your digital assets. This document must be written in a clear and understandable manner, while remaining secure.



One of the most effective ways to protect this file is to encrypt it using a strong encryption method (e.g., AES-256 ), so that it can only be accessed by the right people once the inheritance process has started.

You can also choose to store it on physical media (such as an external hard drive or USB drive) or in a secure online storage service, while ensuring that authorized people have access to the password or decryption key.

Ultimately, managing your crypto assets over the long term isn't just a technical matter. It's essential to understand your role and the responsibilities that come with it. Planning for the long term means anticipating uncertainty and considering the sustainability of your value in a constantly changing world.

Cryptocurrencies are shaking up the notions of ownership and transmission, a development that requires rethinking the notion of security not as an end, but rather as a process of perpetual adaptation .