Single Entity Ownership

Definition ∞ Single entity ownership describes a situation where one individual or organization holds complete and sole control over a digital asset or system. In the context of digital assets, this means a single private key controls the asset, or a single company manages a centralized platform. While offering straightforward control, it introduces a single point of failure and potential for censorship or manipulation. This contrasts sharply with decentralized models where control is distributed across multiple participants.
Context ∞ Single entity ownership remains prevalent in traditional digital systems but is a point of contention in the blockchain space, where decentralization is often a core value. Discussions frequently highlight the security risks and lack of transparency associated with centralized control. Future developments in the crypto sphere will continue to push towards more distributed ownership and governance models to mitigate these concerns.