Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01126
Estate access failure — Coinbase (2023)
SurvivesCase description
A 2023 Coinbase estate access case involved a beneficiary who held a death certificate and the deceased's government ID but could not produce a copy of the will within Coinbase's standard documentation window. The will was being probated in a state where probate typically takes four to six months. Coinbase's policy required letters testamentary before account access could be transferred—documents that could not be produced until probate concluded. The beneficiary filed a motion in probate court for expedited letters for digital asset access specifically, which the court granted after six weeks.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Owner death |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Survives |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2023 |
| 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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