Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00456
Documentation absent — exchange 2017
BlockedCase description
AlphaBay's escrow system had never published a proof-of-reserves or auditable balance mechanism. When the market was seized, users had no independent record of their balances beyond their own transaction histories. Many vendors had partial escrow releases outstanding that had not yet cleared. The absence of verifiable records made it impossible to establish creditor claims against the forfeited assets.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Documentation absent |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Blocked |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2017 |
| Country | Global |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
Nobody had written down how to get back in. That knowledge existed only in the owner's head. Access was not recoverable.
Outcome interpretation
Access was not possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
News article
Evidence link
Related cases involving documentation absent
This archive documents observed custody survivability failures. It does not attempt to document all Bitcoin losses or security incidents.
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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.
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