ICP custody options

Options: Maximum ease or maximum control?

To custody your ICP, you have many options, each with different security and usability trade-offs. Choosing your setup is usually where people get most stuck.

Summary of the range of options available to you depending on your comfort level

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Examples if you prefer to have third-party custody of your keys

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Examples if you prefer to have maximum control of your keys

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Maximum Ease Option

Use Internet Identity with the NNS frontend dapp.

ICP Custody with NNS frontend dapp

Traits

• Most convenient. Entirely web-based. No need to download or install anything.
• NNS frontend dapp has all the functionality you need
• This is a very common method
• Ideal for people who want to want the easiest path to control their ICP

Maximum Control Option

Use your `seed phrase` directly with a few options for self-custody tools.

Traits

• This option requires more technical understanding
• User has the most control over their ICP.
• This is the *safest* option from a software point of view because the user is relying on less software surface area, but it is the *riskiest* from a human point of view in that it puts the risk of the user's `seed phrase` and `private key` custody on them.
• Ideal for people who want as much control over their ICP as possible

Tutorials on how to use seed phrase directly

1. ICP custody with seed phrase and air-gapped machine
2. ICP custody with seed phrase and Ledger Nano