Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01228
Owner incapacity — Coinbase (2024)
SurvivesCase description
A 2024 power of attorney case in Texas involved a family attempting to access the Coinbase account of an incapacitated relative. The family held a durable POA that their attorney confirmed contained digital asset authority under RUFADAA. However, Coinbase's estate and incapacity process required specific documentation: the POA itself, a notarised certification that the POA was currently in force (not just a copy), and a government-issued ID of the agent. Assembling these documents in the required format took approximately six weeks. Coinbase's process had improved significantly from earlier years but still required navigating a formal institutional procedure unfamiliar to most families.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Owner incapacity |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| 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 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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