Multisig
別名: Multi-Signature Wallet, Multi-Sig, Multisignature
A wallet security setup that requires multiple private key signatures to authorize a transaction, preventing any single person from moving funds unilaterally.
A multisig (multi-signature) wallet requires approval from multiple private key holders before a transaction can be executed. Instead of one person controlling funds with a single key, multisig distributes control among a group, significantly reducing the risk of theft or unauthorized access.
How Multisig Works:
A multisig wallet is configured as "M-of-N," meaning M signatures are required out of N total signers: - 2-of-3: Any 2 of 3 keyholders must approve (most common) - 3-of-5: Any 3 of 5 keyholders must approve (DAOs, large treasuries) - 2-of-2: Both parties must agree (joint accounts)
Transaction Flow: 1. One signer proposes a transaction 2. Other signers review and approve (or reject) 3. Once the threshold is reached, the transaction executes 4. All approvals are recorded on-chain
Use Cases:
| Use Case | Typical Config | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Personal security | 2-of-3 | Your phone, laptop, and a backup |
| Company treasury | 3-of-5 | Executive team members |
| DAO treasury | 4-of-7 | Council or committee members |
| Exchange hot wallet | 3-of-5 | Exchange security team |
| Escrow | 2-of-3 | Buyer, seller, arbitrator |
Major Multisig Solutions: - Safe (Gnosis Safe): Most widely used, $100B+ in assets secured - Squads (Solana): Solana-native multisig - Bitcoin native multisig: Built into the Bitcoin protocol
Security Benefits: - No single point of failure - Compromising one key is insufficient for theft - Lost keys can be replaced if threshold is still reachable - Enforces organizational controls and approvals
Limitations: - Slower execution (requires multiple approvals) - Higher gas costs (multiple signatures verified on-chain) - Key management complexity increases with more signers - Social engineering risk if signers can be coordinated
Real-World Importance: Nearly every major DeFi protocol, bridge, and DAO treasury uses multisig wallets. The Ronin bridge hack ($625M) exploited a multisig with too few signers and compromised enough keys. The incident highlighted that multisig security depends on proper configuration and operational security.