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ChainLens

Safe (Gnosis Safe)

The multi-sig standard. 20%+ of ETH on-chain sits in Safe contracts. For $50k+ holdings.

free (gas fees)For advancedVisit site

Smart contract wallet requiring multiple signatures (e.g. 2-of-3) to authorize transactions. Battle-tested since 2018. Used by DAOs, companies, and individuals with significant holdings.

Setup for personal use

  1. Pick M-of-N threshold. For individuals: 2-of-3 with keys at home, office, and a relative. For couples: 2-of-2.
  2. Each signer needs their own wallet (ideally hardware wallets)
  3. Deploy Safe contract (one-time gas cost ~$20)
  4. Transfer funds in over time

Why multi-sig matters

  • Single-key loss = total loss. Multi-sig = can recover with other keys.
  • Single-key compromise = total theft. Multi-sig = attacker needs multiple keys.
  • Enables inheritance plans (give third key to lawyer / family).

Cost and complexity

Each transaction needs multiple signers to approve — slower. Gas costs slightly higher. For active traders, cumbersome; for savings, essential.

Pros

  • No single point of failure
  • Supports inheritance plans
  • Battle-tested for 6+ years
  • Works with any EVM chain

Cons

  • Slower transactions (need to coordinate signers)
  • Complexity can cause mistakes
  • Each signer key loss is a near-miss event