Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01055
Estate access failure — Coinbase (2023)
SurvivesCase description
A 2023 probate case in Florida involved a deceased Bitcoin holder who had accounts on three different exchanges—Coinbase, Kraken, and a now-defunct smaller exchange. The executor had no record of usernames or email addresses used, only a vague reference in the will to 'my crypto accounts.' The executor had to search the deceased's email history across five different email addresses to piece together which exchanges held accounts. Coinbase required the death certificate, letters testamentary, government ID, and a minimum 30-day processing period. The three-exchange process took over six months total.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Documentation absent |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Survives |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2023 |
| Country | United States |
Structural dependencies observed
Outcome interpretation
Access remained possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Privately Reported
Evidence type
News article
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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