Documentation absent — software wallet 2019

Indeterminate

Case description

An estate attorney described a November 2019 case in which the deceased had maintained a complex spreadsheet listing Bitcoin holdings across multiple wallets and exchanges, but the spreadsheet referenced only 'wallet1', 'wallet2' etc. without any identifying information. No corresponding wallet files or exchange account details were found. The estate could confirm coins existed but not where.

Custody context

Stress condition	Documentation absent
Custody system	Mobile or software wallet
Outcome	Indeterminate
Documentation	Unknown
Year observed	2019
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. 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

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

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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.