Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00282
A Bitcoin holder died intestate in 2015 with accounts on two exchanges.
ConstrainedCase description
A Bitcoin holder died intestate in 2015 with accounts on two exchanges. One exchange had a documented estate access process; the other required a court order specifying the exact account details. The estate administrator did not know the second exchange's name. The second account was not located for six months, by which point the exchange required additional documentation the estate had not preserved.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Owner death |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Constrained |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2015 |
| Country | Unknown |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
There was only one way in. When that path was gone, so was access. 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 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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