An August 2019 case describes a family Bitcoin trust using a 2-of-3 multisig.

Survives

Case description

An August 2019 case describes a family Bitcoin trust using a 2-of-3 multisig. One key holder was the family patriarch who died. The trust's lawyers had not included a succession provision for the key. The surviving family members had a quorum but the probate process required court confirmation before assets could be distributed.

Custody context

Stress condition	Multisig quorum failure
Custody system	Exchange custody
Outcome	Survives
Documentation	Unknown
Year observed	2019
Country	Unknown

Structural dependencies observed

Legal process requiredInstitutional cooperation requiredSingle point of failure

Outcome interpretation

Access remained 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 multisig quorum failure

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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.