Centralized wallet management explained
For users who manage many accounts and devices, a centralized dashboard streamlines security: view active sessions, enforce policies, and rotate credentials from one control plane. This page outlines a thoughtful centralized approach while preserving the cryptographic guarantees that wallets provide.
Design goals
Balance convenience with safety. Centralized management should not undermine fundamental principles of key ownership. Instead, it should provide visibility, coordination tools, and optional custodial services for users who explicitly opt in.
Core principles
- Transparency: every action affecting keys or policies is visible in logs.
- Choice: users choose custodial or non-custodial modes per account.
- Minimal trust: retain cryptographic proofs for sensitive operations.
How device oversight works
Each device that connects to the wallet registers a fingerprint and timestamp. Administrators or account owners can label devices (personal, work, hardware key) and set device-level policies like transaction limits or required approvals.
Revocation and emergency recovery
When a device is lost, remote revocation prevents it from signing new requests. Emergency recovery workflows prioritize speed while requiring multiple attestations to prevent unauthorized takeovers.
User experience: onboarding and policy
Onboarding educates users about custody models and consequences. Present side-by-side comparisons (custodial vs self-custody) with clear calls to action. Policies are templates users can apply to groups of accounts -- for example, requiring multisig approvals for transfers above a threshold.
Policy examples
A small business might create a policy requiring two of three managers to sign transfers over $5,000 while allowing individual approvals for routine payments.
Auditability
Every policy enaction produces a signed event. Exportable logs allow auditors to reconstruct sequences of decisions without exposing private keys.