with your bank or paypal, they hold your money for you.
you ask them to send it, or you get their okay to spend it.
they can also decide to freeze your account.

some digital money lets you hold it directly.
it's like having cash in your own digital wallet.
you are the only one who can access and spend it.
you have the final say on using it.
this means you truly own and control it, like physical cash in your hand.