Documentation absent — software wallet (2018)

Blocked

Case description

A November 2018 estate case involved a deceased who had left a letter describing their cryptocurrency holdings as 'substantial.' The estate engaged a blockchain forensics firm that identified 23 possible addresses linked to the deceased through old forum posts. Of those, 12 were empty, 8 had small amounts, and 3 had significant balances. Private keys for the 3 significant wallets were never found.

Custody context

Stress condition	Documentation absent
Custody system	Mobile or software wallet
Outcome	Blocked
Documentation	Unknown
Year observed	2018
Country	Unknown

Structural dependencies observed

Undocumented procedureSingle point of failure

What this illustrates

Nobody had written down how to get back in. That knowledge existed only in the owner's head. Access was not recoverable.

Outcome interpretation

Access was not possible under the reported conditions.

Source

Publicly Reported

Evidence type

Forum post

Evidence link

https://medium.com/@wayne_huang/rsa-2015-panel-bitcoin-s-future-threats-expert-s-roundtable-based-on-150-case-studies-92cc35e68e30

Related cases involving documentation absent

193 cases involve documentation absent 572 cases involve mobile or software wallet View archive statistics →

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.