Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00394
Owner incapacity — exchange 2016
SurvivesCase description
A Bitcoin exchange account holder with late-stage Alzheimer's disease in October 2016 had a family member attempt to gain access to their exchange account. The exchange's legal team rejected a standard power of attorney, requiring a court-appointed healthcare proxy that specifically covered digital assets. Obtaining the correct legal instrument took four months.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Owner incapacity |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Survives |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2016 |
| Country | Unknown |
Structural dependencies observed
Outcome interpretation
Access remained possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
Forum post
Related cases involving owner incapacity
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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