Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01239
Owner death — 2-of-3 multisig (2024)
SurvivesCase description
A 2024 case involved a Bitcoin holder who had been meticulous about security but had not planned for incapacity or death. They had used a 2-of-3 multisignature setup with three hardware wallet devices. One key was stored at home, one at a bank safe deposit box, and one with a trusted friend. The holder died suddenly without leaving any documentation of the multisig configuration, which wallets corresponded to which keys, or what software was needed to construct a signing transaction. The family located all three devices and could physically access them, but could not reconstruct the multisig wallet without technical guidance, which required a specialist recovery firm and several months of work.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Owner death |
| Custody system | Hardware wallet (single key) |
| Outcome | Survives |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2024 |
| Country | United States |
Structural dependencies observed
Outcome interpretation
Access remained possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Privately 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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