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Vaults
vault, bitcoin vault, OP_VAULT, BIP 345
Bitcoin custody constructions that delay withdrawals and preserve a recovery path if a key is stolen or a spend is coerced.
Vaults are Bitcoin custody constructions that separate a withdrawal into stages. A first transaction starts the withdrawal and enforces a delay. During that delay, the owner can trigger a recovery path and move the coins to safety if a key was stolen or a spend was coerced.
The goal is simple: turn key compromise from an instant loss into a security incident with response time. Different vault designs offer different delays, recovery paths, and assumptions about how many keys, devices, or pre-signed transactions must stay safe.
Some vaults can be built today with timelocks, pre-signed transactions, and careful key management. Proposed covenants could make them simpler and more flexible. OP_CTV can express predefined vault trees, and BIP 345 proposes OP_VAULT and OP_VAULT_RECOVER as opcodes tailored to this use case.
Vaults matter for self-custody, inheritance planning, institutional storage, and coercion resistance. They also introduce tradeoffs in setup complexity, recovery procedures, and how tightly future spending paths are constrained.