Understanding self-custody doesn’t require a steep learning curve—it’s absolutely approachable for the average COBF user.
When you self-custody, you own a piece of a protocol.
Portable, divisible, and verifiable.
At its core, it's the Layer 1 (L1) of an entire ecosystem. I can foresee a future where this can be utilized as collateral, generating opportunities like renting it out for various purposes.
The principle is simple: "Not your keys, not your coins." All you need is the basic version of a Trezor (or another hardware wallet) and understand the concept of a UTXO (Unspent Transaction Output), which is like the cash in your pocket. Given the volatility of fees within the L1 environment, it's often more practical to hold larger UTXOs, similar to storing value in a gold bar.
The original thesis, as proposed by Hal Finney, was that Bitcoin would serve as sound money, facilitating large, trustless, and instantaneous transactions between central banks.