# Why I Didn’t Trust Bitcoin at First — Until I Found a Way to Solve Its Biggest Problem

Like many others, I wasn’t exactly against Bitcoin — but I had serious concerns. It wasn’t price volatility or market speculation that made me hesitant. My main worry was: *what if I lose access to my wallet?*

## The Fear of Permanent Loss

Imagine this:

* I forget my password
    
* I misplace my recovery phrase
    
* Someone steals it
    
* I suffer from memory loss
    
* Or worse — I pass away
    

In any of these cases, my Bitcoin could be *gone forever*.

Years ago, when Bitcoin was still new, I couldn’t find a reliable way to deal with this. I remember reading about a man digging through a landfill for years, trying to recover a hard drive with lost Bitcoin worth millions. That could be anyone.

Then there’s the question of **exchanges**. Buying Bitcoin through an exchange might feel convenient, but what if the exchange goes bankrupt? Unlike traditional banks — which at least offer some legal means of recovery — there’s no such fallback with most crypto exchanges. If they disappear, so might your assets.

Unfortunately, many people I asked back then simply said, *"just accept the risk."*  
That wasn’t good enough for me.

## How I Found a Better Way

Fast forward to today — the world has changed, and so has crypto. But surprisingly, many people still don’t know how to prepare for worst-case scenarios like death or memory loss. That’s why I want to share the system I use today, which could also help othe**rs.**

* **Everyday Usage: Multi-Signature Wallet**
    
    In a typical family structure — husband, wife, and two children — I use a **2-of-3 multisig wallet**. This means that any transaction must be approved by at least two people. This prevents a single point of failure and helps protect against misuse or accidents.
    
* **Long-Term Inheritance: Shamir Backup**
    
    For legacy and inheritance, I use a **Shamir Secret Sharing** method with a **6-of-9 setup**. The wallet’s seed phrase is divided into 9 pieces. Any 6 of them can be combined to recover the wallet. The distribution looks like this:
    
    * **Husband**: 2 shares (kept in a bank safe deposit box)
        
    * **Wife**: 2 shares (also in a separate safe deposit box)
        
    * **Child 1**: 1 share
        
    * **Child 2**: 1 share
        
    * **Husband Trusted Person**: 1 share
        
    * **Wife trusted person**: 1 share
        
    * **netral person / Lawyer**: 1 share
        

This creates a balance of security, trust, and accessibility — even in the event of my death. With joining six share, my family can still recover the funds responsibly.

## "Not Your Keys, Not Your Coins"

I still don’t fully trust exchanges.  
Crypto's golden rule remains:

> If you don’t own the keys, you don’t own the assets.

Most exchanges keep your funds in wallets they control. Several years ago, an incident involving **Indodax**, one of Indonesia’s popular exchanges, reaffirmed my stance — exchanges are not safe places to store crypto long-term.

Sure, exchanges are necessary for buying and selling. But for **storage**, I **always withdraw to my personal wallet**.

## Choosing an Exchange Wisely

Exchanges differ wildly in fees — transaction fees, withdrawal fees, and even taxation policies. Some are rigid, some are fair. After trying several platforms, I found the most competitive (at least as of writing this article) to be:  
[https://reku.id/](https://reku.page.link/kw2XyGjGRD1B7YSu6)

## Final Thoughts

Owning Bitcoin is about freedom, but with freedom comes responsibility. It’s not just about investment or speculation — it’s about **building a system that protects your assets**, even when you’re no longer here.

I hope my approach can inspire others to take ownership of their crypto **securely, responsibly, and wisely**.

> In this article, I discuss my initial concerns about the security and accessibility of Bitcoin and how my approach has evolved over time. To mitigate risks like loss of access or inheritance issues, I use a 2-of-3 multi-signature wallet for everyday transactions and Shamir Secret Sharing for long-term inheritance planning. I emphasize the importance of owning your private keys to ensure control over your assets and recommend cautious use of exchanges for storage. The article aims to offer a practical framework for managing Bitcoin securely and responsibly.