Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00745
Owner incapacity — exchange custody (2020)
BlockedCase description
A cryptocurrency investor was incapacitated in a traffic accident in August 2020 and remained in an intensive care unit for six weeks. During this period their exchange account's 2FA device — their phone — was stored in the hospital's property lockup. No family member had access to the 2FA device or the account. Open positions were liquidated automatically.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Owner incapacity |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Blocked |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2020 |
| Country | Unknown |
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
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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