Unchained
US bitcoin financial services firm offering 2-of-3 collaborative custody multisig vaults, IRAs, trading and loans.
No project pays to be listed. How we rank
Unchained key facts
| Category | Multisig wallet |
|---|---|
| Chains | Bitcoin only |
| Platforms | Web, iOS |
| Custody | Multisig |
| Pricing | Vault $250 per vault/year; Bitcoin IRA $250 per account/year; Signature $6,000 first year, renews at $4,500/year |
| Fees | Trading desk 1.0% flat fee; IRA trading fee 1.5% |
| Chains | Bitcoin; 2-of-3 multisig vaults |
| Company | Unchained Capital, Inc., Austin, TX |
| US availability | Yes |
| Free plan | No free plan; vaults start at $250 per vault/year |
What is Unchained?
Unchained is a US bitcoin financial services company based in Austin, Texas, built around collaborative custody vaults. Each vault uses three keys and needs two to move funds; the client holds two and Unchained holds one backup key, so it cannot move bitcoin alone. A personal vault costs $250 per year.
How Unchained works
Every Unchained vault is a 2-of-3 bitcoin multisig.
You keep two keys, usually on hardware wallets stored in separate places, and Unchained keeps the third as a backup. Any two keys can sign, so you can spend with your own pair, or with one of yours plus Unchained's if a device is lost. Unchained says it can help you recover as long as you still have one key. The knowledge base covers Caravan, an open-source tool for recovering a vault without Unchained.
The same vault model sits under the Bitcoin IRA, trust vaults and business vaults. The trading desk buys bitcoin straight into a vault, and commercial loans are backed by bitcoin with zero rehypothecation. Signature includes up to 10 personal, trust and IRA vaults, and Signature for Business adds an enterprise account with approval quorums. Both come with preferred trading fees.
How to start with Unchained
- Sign up at unchained.com and set up two hardware wallets as your keys.
- The knowledge base has setup guides for each key.
- Premium Service Suites for one person add guided onboarding, two hardware wallets and the first year of a vault: $1,650 for Strengthen Your Setup, $1,900 for Hold Your Own Keys and $2,650 for Retire With Bitcoin.
- The Bitcoin IRA is available in the US only and needs $2,000 minimum for each USD transfer, rollover or annual contribution.
Unchained fees and limits
- A vault costs $250 per vault per year, and a Bitcoin IRA costs $250 per account per year with a 1.5% trading fee.
- The trading desk charges a 1.0% flat fee; a trading default costs at least $200 plus any loss.
- Signature is $6,000 the first year and $4,500 a year after, with up to 10 vaults.
- Commercial loans start at $150,000 at a 12% interest rate with a 2% origination fee in the example on the pricing page.
Concierge sessions are billed per hour.
Risks to know before using Unchained
- The terms state that Unchained is not a bank or custodian and that funds carry no FDIC or SIPC coverage.
- Unchained says it can help you recover only while you still have at least one of your keys.
- On loans, a forced collateral sale carries a 2% selling fee per liquidation.
- Unchained Capital and its affiliates list NMLS licenses for their lending and trading services.
Unchained alternatives
Other projects people compare with Unchained.
Paid collaborative-custody multisig that holds bitcoin, ether and stablecoins in 3-key or 5-key vaults.
Bitcoin wallet app for single-sig and multisig setups, with paid assisted multisig and inheritance plans.
Smart-account multisig wallet for EVM chains, used by teams and DAOs to run onchain treasuries.
Multisig smart-account platform for securing and managing Solana assets, programs and validators.
Where Unchained ranks on DappAtlas
Listed next to Unchained
- BitGo Crypto infrastructure for businesses
Unchained pros and cons
- Unchained holds only one of three keys, so it cannot move funds by itself
- Bitcoin IRA with keys you control, $250 per account per year
- Buy bitcoin straight into a vault at a 1.0% flat trading fee
- No free tier: vaults cost $250 per vault per year
- Signature service is $6,000 the first year, then $4,500 per year
- Bitcoin only, no other assets
Unchained FAQ
What is Unchained?
Unchained is a US bitcoin financial services company based in Austin, Texas, built around collaborative custody vaults. Each vault uses three keys and needs two to move funds; the client holds two and Unchained holds one backup key, so it cannot move bitcoin alone. A personal vault costs $250 per year.
Which chains does Unchained support?
Bitcoin only.
How much does Unchained cost?
Trading desk 1.0% flat fee; IRA trading fee 1.5%, according to Unchained’s own page (checked Sep 26, 2026). Free plan: No free plan; vaults start at $250 per vault/year.
Is Unchained available in the US?
Yes, according to Unchained’s own page (checked Sep 26, 2026).
Does Unchained hold my funds?
No. Unchained is multisig: you keep your funds in your own wallet and sign each transaction.
Sources
How this page works
Sources: Unchained: official site, Unchained: Pricing, Unchained: Vaults. Data as of Oct 1, 2026.
Not affiliated with any project listed. Educational content, not financial advice.