Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00284
Owner incapacity — software wallet 2015
SurvivesCase description
A Bitcoin investor suffered a severe brain injury in August 2015 that left them in a coma for three months. During this period their family needed to manage financial affairs. The investor's attorney had been granted power of attorney for traditional financial assets but there was no equivalent provision for cryptocurrency. Two exchanges rejected the power of attorney on the grounds that it did not specifically mention digital assets.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Owner incapacity |
| Custody system | Mobile or software wallet |
| Outcome | Survives |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2015 |
| 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
68 cases involve owner incapacity
572 cases involve mobile or software wallet
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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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