Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01057
Estate access failure — exchange custody (2022)
SurvivesCase description
Australian exchanges including CoinSpot and Independent Reserve had established executor access protocols by 2022, but the process required submission of a certified death certificate, an Australian grant of probate, and a completed KYC verification for the executor—even if the executor had previously been a customer. For Bitcoin held on smaller or offshore exchanges without an Australian presence, the executor had no formal process to follow and was treated as a new customer with no way to assert the deceased's rights.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Owner death |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Survives |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2022 |
| Country | Australia |
Structural dependencies observed
Outcome interpretation
Access remained possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
News article
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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