Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01334
Estate access failure — Trezor Model T (2025)
ConstrainedCase description
A 2025 case involved a New York estate where the deceased holder's executor found a Trezor Model T in a desk drawer along with a post-it note containing what appeared to be a PIN. The PIN worked—the device was unlocked. However, the device showed multiple wallet accounts and the executor did not know which account was active, what derivation paths had been used, or how much Bitcoin was held. A blockchain analyst was engaged to trace the on-chain activity associated with the device's known xpub keys. The analysis revealed approximately $290,000 in Bitcoin across two accounts on non-standard derivation paths that would not have been discovered through a standard restore.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Documentation absent |
| Custody system | Hardware wallet (single key) |
| Outcome | Constrained |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2025 |
| Country | United States |
What this illustrates
Nobody left instructions. Whoever needed to recover the funds had no starting point. Whether full access was ultimately possible is unclear, but significant delay or outside intervention was involved.
Outcome interpretation
Access remained possible, but only with delay, dependence, or significant difficulty.
Source
Privately 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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