Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01332
Estate access failure — Kraken (2025)
ConstrainedCase description
A 2025 Kraken estate access case involved an executor who discovered that the deceased holder had registered their Kraken account under a pseudonym that did not match their legal name. Kraken's estate process required a match between the account holder's registered name and the probate documents. The discrepancy required additional legal steps to establish that the pseudonymous account belonged to the decedent, including an affidavit from the executor and supporting documentation showing the holder's use of the pseudonym. The process added approximately 10 weeks to the standard estate timeline.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Owner death |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Constrained |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2025 |
| Country | United States |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
Getting access back required help from an institution — and that help wasn't available. Whether full access was ultimately possible is unclear, but significant delay or outside intervention was involved.
Outcome interpretation
Access remained possible, but only with delay, dependence, or significant difficulty.
Source
Privately 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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