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FAQ

What is BitBridge?

BitBridge is a simple way to set up a Bitcoin trust for your children or other loved ones. You contribute Bitcoin you already own, and we place it into a revocable trust structure with rules you define. BitBridge provides professional custody using multi-signature security, ensuring your Bitcoin is protected and will be available for your beneficiaries when the time comes. We make institutional-level trust services accessible and affordable for everyday families.

Here’s the quick version:

  1. Setup: You create a trust with BitBridge for a one-time $99 fee. You define the rules, beneficiaries, and distribution terms.
  2. Funding: You can fund your trust transferring Bitcoin to a secure multi-signature Bitcoin wallet.
  3. Custody: Your Bitcoin is held in a multi-signature custodial wallet managed by BitBridge. This means multiple keys are required for any transaction, ensuring maximum security.
  4. Verification: Beneficiaries receive an xpub key that allows them to verify their trust exists and watch the balance grow over time – without being able to spend the funds.
  5. Distribution: When the trust conditions are met (typically when beneficiaries reach a certain age), they verify their identity and key, and BitBridge releases the funds to them. A 10% fee applies at this point.

Multi-signature (multisig) security means that multiple keys are required to authorize any Bitcoin transaction. BitBridge uses this institutional-grade approach to protect your trust funds.

Why it’s more secure:

  • No single point of failure – multiple keys must be compromised for theft to occur

  • Keys are distributed between BitBridge, the grantor, and beneficiaries

  • Professional custody standards used by institutions managing billions in Bitcoin

  • Protection against both external attacks and internal errors

How it works: BitBridge creates a multi-signature wallet where several parties hold keys. Transactions require approval from multiple key holders, creating layers of security that far exceed standard single-key wallets. This is the same security model used by major Bitcoin custodians and financial institutions.

If any single key is lost or compromised, the Bitcoin remains secure and can be recovered through BitBridge’s recovery process.

An xpub (extended public key) is like a “read-only” window into the trust’s Bitcoin wallet. It’s a powerful tool that provides transparency and peace of mind.

What beneficiaries can do with their xpub:

  • Verify that their trust exists and contains Bitcoin
  • Watch the balance of their trust grow over time
  • Confirm deposits made to the trust
  • Track the trust’s value as Bitcoin appreciates
  • Generate receive addresses to add more Bitcoin to their trust

 

What they CANNOT do with an xpub:

  • Spend or transfer the Bitcoin
  • Access the funds before the trust conditions are met
  • Compromise the security of the trust

Think of it as a transparent vault – your beneficiaries can see inside and verify everything is there, but only BitBridge (acting as trustee) can unlock it when the proper conditions are met. This transparency builds trust and allows families to watch their legacy grow together.

You fund your BitBridge trust by transferring Bitcoin you already own.

Initial Funding: Transfer Bitcoin from your existing wallet or exchange account to your trust address. BitBridge will provide you with the specific address during setup, and you can verify it using the multi-signature wallet information.

Ongoing Contributions: Yes! You can add to your trust fund at any time:

  • Make regular contributions (monthly, quarterly, annually – whatever works for you)

  • Add lump sums whenever you choose

  • Transfer Bitcoin from exchanges, other wallets, or any source

  • Dollar-cost average by purchasing Bitcoin elsewhere and transferring smaller amounts regularly

There are no additional fees for making deposits to your existing trust. The only fees are the initial $100 setup fee and the 10% distribution/recovery fee when funds are eventually claimed or recovered.

Many families choose to make regular small contributions to build their Bitcoin legacy over time, taking advantage of dollar-cost averaging by purchasing Bitcoin at their preferred exchange or service and then transferring it into their BitBridge trust.

Yes, BitBridge trusts are revocable, meaning you maintain control and can make changes during your lifetime.

What you can modify:

  • Beneficiary list (add, remove, or change beneficiaries)

  • Distribution ages or timelines

  • Percentage allocations between multiple beneficiaries

  • Trust conditions and rules

  • Any other terms you originally established

How to make changes: Contact BitBridge to request modifications to your trust. We’ll prepare updated trust documents reflecting your new wishes. There may be administrative fees for significant changes, but the flexibility is yours.

Important note: Once you pass away or become incapacitated, the trust terms generally become irrevocable and will be executed according to your last documented wishes. This is why we encourage clients to review and update their trusts periodically as life circumstances change.

Beneficiaries receive access to funds when the conditions YOU specify in the trust are met. Common distribution triggers include:

Age-based distribution:

  • Single distribution at a specific age (e.g., when they turn 21, 25, or 30)

  • Staggered distributions (e.g., 25% at age 21, 25% at 25, 50% at 30)

  • Gradual access starting at a certain age

Event-based distribution:

  • Upon your death (immediate or delayed)

  • When they complete college

  • Upon marriage

  • When they purchase their first home

  • Or any combination of conditions you choose

The claiming process: When distribution conditions are met, the beneficiary contacts BitBridge, verifies their identity and provides their key portion. BitBridge then releases the funds according to the trust terms. The 10% distribution fee applies at this time.

You design the timeline and conditions that make sense for your family’s situation and values.

If you become incapacitated or pass away, your trust continues to operate exactly as you designed it. This is the core purpose of BitBridge – ensuring your Bitcoin legacy reaches your loved ones even when you’re not there to manage it.

Here’s what happens:

  1. Trust continues: BitBridge continues serving as trustee, maintaining custody of the Bitcoin according to your trust document

  2. Beneficiaries are notified: When appropriate, BitBridge reaches out to beneficiaries to begin the distribution process

  3. Verification process: Beneficiaries verify their identity and demonstrate possession of their key portion

  4. Distribution: Once verified and all conditions are met, BitBridge releases the funds to your beneficiaries according to your wishes

Key protection:

  • If you’ve lost your key before incapacity/death, BitBridge’s recovery process ensures the Bitcoin isn’t lost

  • The trust document and key information are securely maintained

  • Beneficiaries’ xpub keys allow them to verify the trust exists and track its value

  • The multi-signature structure ensures no single point of failure

This is precisely why BitBridge exists – to serve as the reliable bridge between your Bitcoin today and your family’s inheritance tomorrow.

BitBridge keeps fees simple and transparent:

One-time Setup Fee: $99

  • Covers trust document creation

  • Multi-signature wallet setup

  • Initial key distribution

  • Beneficiary xpub provisioning

  • Trust registration and documentation

Distribution/Recovery Fee: 10% This fee only applies in two situations:

  1. When beneficiaries claim the trust – 10% of distributed funds

  2. When recovery services are needed – 10% of recovered funds (if you or a beneficiary loses a key)

No ongoing fees:

  • No annual maintenance fees

  • No custody fees

  • No deposit fees

  • No fees for trust modifications (administrative fees may apply for major changes)

Example: If you set up a trust with $1,000 of Bitcoin, you pay $99 upfront. If that Bitcoin grows to $10,000 by the time your child claims it at age 25, BitBridge takes $1,000 (10%) and your child receives $9,000. That’s it.

Our fee structure is designed to align our interests with yours – we succeed when your Bitcoin legacy successfully reaches your family.