Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00858
Sanctions lockout — exchange custody (2021)
ConstrainedCase description
Following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, Afghan Bitcoin holders found international exchanges immediately geofencing Afghan IP addresses due to sanctions concerns. Bitcoin had been used by some Afghans as a means of preserving savings. The mass deplatforming from international exchanges left them unable to access their holdings except through peer-to-peer channels.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Forced relocation |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Constrained |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2021 |
| Country | Afghanistan |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
Before anyone could access the funds, a legal process had to be completed first. 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
News article
Evidence link
Related cases involving forced relocation
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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