Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01037
Estate access failure — hardware wallet (2022)
BlockedCase description
A 2022 case cited in estate planning literature involved an executor who discovered after appointment that the deceased had held Bitcoin but had never created a will or any documentation of the custody setup. The executor was not familiar with Bitcoin. After consulting an attorney, it became clear there was no standard legal process for an executor to access a self-custodied wallet; without credentials, all that could be determined from blockchain data was the approximate value—permanently unreachable.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Documentation absent |
| Custody system | Hardware wallet (single key) |
| Outcome | Blocked |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2022 |
| Country | United States |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
There was only one way in. When that path was gone, so was access. Access was not recoverable.
Outcome interpretation
Access was not possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
News article
Related cases involving documentation absent
193 cases involve documentation absent
274 cases involve hardware wallet (single key)
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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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