Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01062
Estate access failure — hardware wallet (2022)
BlockedCase description
Estate planning attorneys documented an increase in cases in 2022 of heirs attempting to access Bitcoin wallets belonging to deceased family members. In many cases the deceased had purchased Bitcoin between 2017 and 2021 and had not documented wallet credentials anywhere accessible. Heirs were left with knowledge of the asset's existence—visible on blockchain explorers or in old emails—but no path to access. Without seed phrases or private keys, even probate courts could not compel access.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Owner death |
| Custody system | Hardware wallet (single key) |
| Outcome | Blocked |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2022 |
| Country | United States |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
There was only one way in. When that path was gone, so was access. Access was not recoverable.
Outcome interpretation
Access was not possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
News article
Related cases involving owner death
119 cases involve owner death
274 cases involve hardware wallet (single key)
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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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