Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the manufacturer's facility was closed for six weeks.

Survives

Case description

A hardware wallet user's device was shipped to a manufacturer for repair of a firmware issue in May 2020. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the manufacturer's facility was closed for six weeks. The device was held in transit storage. The user had a seed backup and could have recovered funds to a new device, but did not do so, incurring a six-week access delay.

Custody context

Stress condition	Device loss
Custody system	Hardware wallet (single key)
Outcome	Survives
Documentation	Unknown
Year observed	2020
Country	Unknown

Structural dependencies observed

Hardware device requiredThird-party platform dependency

Outcome interpretation

Access remained possible under the reported conditions.

Source

Publicly Reported

Evidence type

Forum post

Evidence link

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=255793.0

Related cases involving device loss

188 cases involve device loss 274 cases involve hardware wallet (single key) View archive statistics →

This archive documents observed custody survivability failures. It does not attempt to document all Bitcoin losses or security incidents. Submit a case

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Framework references

Where Bitcoin Custody Intersects Legal and Fiduciary Authority

Where custody creates gaps in estate planning, fiduciary duty, and professional responsibility.

Professional Scope Boundary Matrix

What each professional or product covers, what they do not, and where gaps form between them.

The Independent Assessment Layer in Bitcoin Custody

How independent diagnostic layers emerge when multiple parties depend on shared infrastructure.