Coinbase required a death certificate plus letters testamentary, typically a 4–8 week

A 2024 analysis of exchange estate access procedures by a digital estate planning firm found significant variation across major platforms. Coinbase required a death certificate plus letters testamentary, typically a 4–8 week process. Kraken required a sworn affidavit, death certificate, and letters testamentary or small estate affidavit depending on jurisdiction, typically 6–12 weeks. Gemini required notarised documents and a formal court order in some jurisdictions. The variation meant that estates with holdings across multiple exchanges faced multiple parallel processes, each with different documentation requirements and timelines—compounding delays for estates where time was sensitive due to price volatility.