Custody Wallet Withdrawal Safeguards

Withdrawals from custody wallets are designed to balance security-first protections with frictionless access to your assets. This section explains how withdrawals work and the safeguards in place.

Layers of Security to Protect You and Your Assets

BitGo’s layered security safeguards are designed to defend against multiple types of attacks, combining protections operated by BitGo with flexible controls managed by you. These layers work together to ensure withdrawals are both secure and frictionless. 

Foundational: BitGo-Owned and Operated Security

These protections are built into BitGo’s qualified custody model and represent the foundation of our institutional-grade security. 

• Institutional-Grade Custody – Funds are held in 100% cold storage, fully offline and secured under the same standards used by leading global financial institutions.

• Cryptographic Signatures – Every withdrawal requires multiple independent key signatures from BitGo’s secure network, ensuring that even if a single key is compromised, your funds remain safe.

• Video Identity Verification – BitGo’s security team reviews human video verification to catch sophisticated fraud attempts.

Why this matters: These steps are designed to stop advanced attacks and may introduce processing times but they’re what allow BitGo to maintain the highest standards of custody, security and compliance. BitGo continuously invests in operational efficiency so that you can benefit from world-class security without unnecessary friction.

Adjustable: BitGo-Enforced Actions

These protections are enforced to safeguard your account, however, you may potentially configure select parameters so that they align with your operational needs and risk tolerances. We recommend reviewing these settings (also known as Policies) regularly to ensure they remain appropriate as your business needs evolve. 

• Video Identity Verification – BitGo’s security team conducts human video verification to catch sophisticated fraud attempts.

• Liveness Verification – Real-time biometric checks confirm that only you can authorize a withdrawal, protecting against deepfakes and identity theft.

• Travel Rule (for EU and Singapore clients) – Secure transmission of legally required transaction details between financial institutions to ensure compliance and manage regulatory risk. Learn more about Travel Rule here.

Customizable: Client-Controlled Security

These controls are fully within your control, allowing you to design processes that balance speed and security. 

• Policies – Defined security rules at the wallet or enterprise level that require approvals from your company’s admin(s). For additional information see Policies.

Best Practices for Security Safeguards

Your security controls should evolve with your business. We recommend: 

• Reviewing the adjustable and customizable security safeguards regularly to ensure they align with current operations and risk tolerance. 

• Updating policies and whitelists when teams, workflows or counterparties change. 

• Testing approval policies periodically to confirm they work smoothly during high-volume or urgent withdrawals. 

Keeping these controls up to date helps you get the most out of BitGo’s layered security while maintaining operational efficiency. For additional best practices, see Policies.