Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00920
A November 2021 estate case involved a recently deceased Bitcoin day trader.
ConstrainedCase description
A November 2021 estate case involved a recently deceased Bitcoin day trader. The trader had documented their trading activity meticulously but had never recorded wallet addresses, private keys, or exchange credentials. The estate found 14 notebooks of trading strategy notes but no access credentials. A forensics firm identified three exchange accounts from email records.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Documentation absent |
| Custody system | Mobile or software wallet |
| Outcome | Constrained |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2021 |
| Country | Unknown |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
There was no documentation of how access worked. Without it, there was no path back in. 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
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
Forum post
Related cases involving documentation absent
167 cases involve documentation absent
569 cases involve mobile or software wallet
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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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