Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01324
Forced relocation — exchange custody (2025)
BlockedCase description
Bitcoin holders in conflict-affected regions of East Africa faced complete access disruption in 2025 as civil war in Sudan and ongoing conflicts in parts of Ethiopia destroyed financial infrastructure and made internet connectivity unreliable or unavailable. Exchange-custody users had no access mechanism when connectivity was severed. Self-custody holders with hardware wallets and documented seed phrases retained theoretical access—wallets could be restored from any location with internet—but practical access required physical relocation to a region with stable connectivity. Bitcoin adoption in the region had been driven partly by the failure of conventional banking infrastructure during prior conflict phases.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Forced relocation |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Blocked |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2025 |
| Country | Sudan / Ethiopia |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
Before anyone could access the funds, a legal process had to be completed first. Access was not recoverable.
Outcome interpretation
Access was not possible under the reported conditions.
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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