Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00694
Binance disputed the authenticity of the data but acknowledged a third-party KYC
IndeterminateCase description
In July 2019 Binance experienced a reported KYC data leak where a Telegram channel began posting KYC documents — passport photos and identity documents — of Binance customers. Binance disputed the authenticity of the data but acknowledged a third-party KYC provider may have been involved. Customers whose identity documents were exposed had no way to verify whether the breach was real or to assess their risk.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Documentation absent |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Indeterminate |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2019 |
| Country | Malta |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
Nobody had written down how to get back in. That knowledge existed only in the owner's head. It's not clear whether anyone ever regained access.
Outcome interpretation
Not enough information is available to determine the outcome.
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.
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