Strive CEO Warns AI Raises Bitcoin Self-Custody Risks

Matt Cole says rising AI threats make holding Bitcoin directly more demanding for investors and firms.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence

Strive CEO Warns AI Raises Bitcoin Self-Custody Risks

Live Poll

Given rising AI security risks, is now a good time for you to self-custody Bitcoin?

Strive CEO Matt Cole warned that artificial intelligence is increasing the risks of Bitcoin self-custody. Strive, a Nasdaq-listed company, holds a Bitcoin treasury of 36,818 BTC, which Cole disclosed on Oct. 19.

Why it matters

Self-custody puts the burden of securing private keys directly on the holder, so rising AI-driven threats raise the stakes for anyone controlling Bitcoin without a third-party custodian. For a U.S.-listed company holding a large Bitcoin treasury, the warning highlights how security demands grow as the technology landscape changes.

Strive's disclosed holdings grew from 32,773 BTC to 36,818 BTC following purchases of 1,223 BTC between Oct. 14 and Oct. 16. The specific AI-related security vulnerabilities behind Cole's warning were not detailed.

The players

Strive

Strive is a Nasdaq-listed company that has built a substantial Bitcoin treasury through direct purchases of the cryptocurrency.

Matt Cole

Matt Cole is the chief executive of Strive who has publicly emphasized the operational responsibilities of directly holding Bitcoin.

The details

Cole described direct control of Bitcoin as a responsibility requiring ongoing work, pointing to AI as a factor increasing self-custody risk. Strive has built its treasury through direct purchases of BTC rather than through other vehicles.

Oct. 14 through Oct. 16: Strive purchased 1,223 BTC, lifting holdings to 36,818 BTC.
Oct. 19: Cole disclosed Strive's 36,818 BTC holdings.
Nov. 9, 2026: Article published with Cole's AI self-custody warning.

The Tech Race

Bitcoin self-custody requires holders to manage private keys directly, a model that carries no institutional backstop if keys are compromised. Cole's warning places AI-driven threats alongside this long-standing trade-off, which crypto holders must weigh against the control self-custody provides.

Anyone holding Bitcoin without a third-party custodian must take on the security work of protecting private keys, and Cole's warning suggests that work is becoming more demanding. Individual holders should review how their wallets are secured as AI-driven threats evolve.

The takeaway

Bitcoin holders who manage their own keys carry the full security burden, so reviewing wallet protections regularly is a practical step as AI tools change the threat landscape. Self-custody's control comes with responsibilities that grow alongside the technology around it.