Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00643
Estate access failure — exchange custody (2019)
SurvivesCase description
A November 2019 estate case involved a deceased who had used their Bitcoin exchange account as a primary savings vehicle. The exchange required proof that the deceased had died, that the claimant was the executor, and that the executor had authority over digital assets. Producing these three items in the format the exchange required took seven months.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Owner death |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Survives |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2019 |
| Country | Unknown |
Structural dependencies observed
Outcome interpretation
Access remained 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.
Submit a case
← All cases
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.
Translate