# Integrate Qualified Custody

Fordefi connects to qualified custody at Paxos Trust Company, N.A. Your assets
stay in custody at Paxos, and you manage them from Fordefi with your existing
policies, approvals and audit log.

All the Paxos custody accounts connected to your Fordefi workspace appear in the
**Custody** tab of the **Connected Accounts** screen, with their balances and
assets.

Each Paxos profile you connect becomes a **custody vault** in Fordefi. A custody
vault works much like an exchange vault:

- **Balances:** Fordefi fetches balances from Paxos periodically and shows them
in the vault list and on the vault page.
- **Transfers:** You move funds in and out of custody with Fordefi's existing
Transfer UI and API. Your policies apply, and Paxos executes the transfer.
- **Governance:** Connecting a custody vault requires
[admin quorum](/user-guide/admin-quorum) approval. Connect, update and disconnect
events are recorded in the audit log.


Sub-accounts
Paxos custody does not support sub-accounts.

## Terminology

| Term | Meaning |
|  --- | --- |
| Paxos custody account | Your account at Paxos, created through Paxos onboarding and KYC. It owns all custody balances. |
| Paxos profile | A subdivision of a Paxos custody account that separates balances and activity. It is not a separate legal entity. |
| Custody vault | The Fordefi vault for one Paxos profile. Balances are not combined across custody vaults. |


Each Paxos profile is a standalone custody vault. Unlike
[exchange sub-accounts](/user-guide/exchanges/exchange-sub-accounts), a profile can
transfer funds in and out directly.

## Permissions

- **Admins:** Connect, disconnect and rename custody vaults, and set their vault
groups.
- **Traders:** View custody vaults and their balances, and create transfers
subject to policy. Traders can't change integration credentials or connect
accounts.


## Limitations

- Only Paxos custody is supported. Other Paxos products are not.
- Fordefi shows only transactions made through Fordefi. Deposits and transfers
made outside Fordefi don't appear in the custody vault's history.


## Next steps

- [Connect a Paxos custody account](/user-guide/custody/connect-paxos-custody)
- [Work with custody vaults](/user-guide/custody/custody-vaults)
- [Move funds to and from custody](/user-guide/custody/custody-transfers)