Trezor CEO Warns: The Biggest Misconception for Bitcoin Investors in 2026

Trezor CEO Matej Zak, in an appearance on Scott Melker's podcast "The Wolf Of All Streets," delved into the biggest risk facing Bitcoin investors in 2026 – not price volatility, but a misjudgment of asset custody methods. He pointed out that an increasing number of users mistakenly believe that holding assets through Bitcoin ETFs or centralized exchanges equates to security, while overlooking a fundamental question: who truly controls the private keys?

Zak emphasized that even if exchanges continuously upgrade their security systems, their centralized architecture remains a "honeypot," constantly attracting professional hackers. He cited numerous cases of large exchanges being hacked in the past year, pointing out that nation-state hacking groups like North Korea's Lazarus Group consistently target centralized platforms as their primary objective.

Furthermore, Zak warned of new types of fraud brought about by emerging technologies. With the increasing prevalence of deepfake technology, attackers can now impersonate friends and family members via video conference to trick users into divulging sensitive information. This type of social engineering attack is becoming increasingly subtle and effective, far exceeding the threat of traditional password cracking. Regarding the so-called "doomsday threat" of quantum computing to Bitcoin, Zak responded rationally: if quantum computing could truly crack encryption systems, it would affect the entire global digital infrastructure, from bank accounts to military systems. However, he pointed out that the industry has already planned for countermeasures, and next-generation hardware wallets like the Trezor Safe 7 have adopted an upgradeable post-quantum cryptography architecture to prepare for the future. Zak concluded with a personal experience: witnessing his family's savings in Czechoslovakia become worthless overnight during the communist era deeply instilled in him the meaning of financial autonomy. For him, self-custody is not just a technical choice, but a cornerstone of defending personal financial freedom. In today's increasingly fragile centralized system, controlling the private keys is the core meaning of truly owning Bitcoin.