Operations · Jul 9, 2026 · 6 min read
Ten lessons from running 200 key ceremonies
Small operational details that separate a clean ceremony from a very expensive mistake.
DKDaniel Kho
Key ceremonies are part cryptography, part theatre, and mostly logistics. After a few hundred of them, patterns emerge.
Script everything, rehearse once, record the room, and never let the person holding the smart card also hold the camera.
Most importantly, plan the recovery ceremony at the same time as the generation ceremony. You don't want to design it under pressure.