In short
Self-custody means you control the private keys to your own crypto wallet, so no company can access or freeze your funds. For payments, it means settlement lands in a wallet only you control.
Self-custody and payments
When a gateway settles to a self-custodied wallet, you alone hold the keys and the funds. The upside is total control and no counterparty freeze risk; the responsibility is keeping your keys safe - never share a private key or seed phrase.
Part of our guide to non-custodial payments.