Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00785
Documentation absent — exchange custody (2020)
IndeterminateCase description
A November 2020 estate case involved a deceased who had operated as an informal Bitcoin market maker since 2015. Dozens of counterparties had outstanding settlement obligations. The estate found no records of who owed what. Counterparties who owed Bitcoin claimed to have already settled. Those who were owed Bitcoin had only informal WhatsApp records.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Documentation absent |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Indeterminate |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2020 |
| Country | Unknown |
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
Forum post
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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