Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00060
Owner death — exchange custody (2013)
BlockedCase description
In 2013 at least several documented cases arose of Bitcoin holders who died with exchange accounts their families could not access. Exchanges had no death-disclosure or estate-access procedure. Without the login credentials and in many cases 2FA access, exchange balances were permanently inaccessible to heirs.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Owner death |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Blocked |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2013 |
| Country | Unknown |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
Getting access back required help from an institution — and that help wasn't available. Access was not recoverable.
Outcome interpretation
Access was not possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
Forum post
Related cases involving owner death
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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