Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00842
Device lost — software wallet 2021
SurvivesCase description
A user found their old Android phone — stored as a cold wallet — had been formatted by Google's security policies after 24 months of inactivity. They had not enabled non-Google backup for the wallet app's data. The seed phrase was on paper and used to recover the wallet.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Device loss |
| Custody system | Mobile or software wallet |
| Outcome | Survives |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2021 |
| Country | Unknown |
Structural dependencies observed
Outcome interpretation
Access remained possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
Forum post
Evidence link
Related cases involving device loss
This archive documents observed custody survivability failures. It does not attempt to document all Bitcoin losses or security incidents.
Submit a case
← All cases
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.
Translate