The executor applied for access in October 2021.

Survives

Case description

A deceased Bitcoin holder's Coinbase account was identified by the estate through their email history. The executor applied for access in October 2021. Coinbase required death certificate, letters testamentary, government photo ID, and proof of the account holder's identity. The account holder had been known only by an online alias. Linking the alias to the legal identity required a police report and bank records.

Custody context

Stress condition	Owner death
Custody system	Exchange custody
Outcome	Survives
Documentation	Unknown
Year observed	2021
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 owner death

119 cases involve owner death 512 cases involve exchange custody View archive statistics →

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.