Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01066
This institutional dependency on legal process was a new form of access constraint
SurvivesCase description
Coinbase's 2022 estate access process required heirs to submit a death certificate, letters testamentary or letters of administration from a probate court, and government-issued ID. The process typically took four to eight weeks and required engagement with probate courts even for small estates. Heirs in states without simplified small-estate procedures faced full probate for wallet access. This institutional dependency on legal process was a new form of access constraint specific to exchange-custodied Bitcoin.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Owner death |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Survives |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2022 |
| Country | United States |
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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