---
title: Qualified Custodian
url: "https://www.unknowngravity.com/en/glosario/custodio-cualificado"
site: Unknown Gravity
published: "2026-09-21T11:55:13+00:00"
modified: "2026-09-21T11:55:14+00:00"
language: en-US
description: "A qualified custodian is an entity authorised and supervised to safekeep third parties' assets: real segregation, capital that answers, audits and a supervisor to report to."
section: "Home > Qualified Custodian"
---

# Qualified Custodian

GLOSSARY · BLOCKCHAIN & WEB3

What a qualified custodian is: the authorised entity that may custody third parties' assets with segregation and supervision — and why institutions require one.

WHAT IS IT? · FOR DUMMIES

A **qualified custodian** is an entity authorised and supervised to safekeep third parties' assets: real segregation, capital that answers, audits and a supervisor to report to. It is the difference between "we keep your keys" and "we are legally liable for your assets" — and the condition institutional investors set before coming in.

WHAT IS IT? · PRO

In crypto-assets the role is played by CASPs authorised for custody under MiCA (see the [CASP license](/en/articulos/casp-license-spain-mica)) and, for tokenized securities, by the entities allowed to custody financial instruments (banks, investment firms). The marks of a qualified custodian: audited asset segregation, documented [MPC](/en/glosario/mpc-computacion-multiparte) or [multisig](/en/glosario/multisig-multifirma), insurance or regulatory capital, and contingency and key-succession plans.

For an issuer, choosing a qualified custodian is not a luxury: it defines who can invest (institutional mandates require it) and what happens to the assets if the platform disappears — the full analysis is in [crypto-asset custody](/en/articulos/crypto-asset-custody), and how it compares with MPC, multisig and [wallet-as-a-service](/en/glosario/wallet-as-a-service) in [crypto custody providers](/en/articulos/crypto-custody-providers).

## 01 / Key points

- Entity authorised and supervised to custody third parties' assets
- In crypto: CASPs with custody; in securities: authorised entities
- Marks: audited segregation, documented technology, capital that answers
- Usual condition of institutional mandates

## 02 / Advantages

- Legal liability and a supervisor behind it
- Opens the institutional door to the issuance
- The assets survive the platform

## 03 / Disadvantages

- Higher cost than unregulated solutions
- Slower onboarding and operations
- Few providers with full authorisation yet

This entry is informative. It is not legal, tax or investment advice. The rules cited change: check the current version on [BOE](https://www.boe.es) and [EUR-Lex](https://eur-lex.europa.eu).