Owner incapacity — software wallet (2019)

Survives

Case description

An August 2019 case describes a Bitcoin holder undergoing chemotherapy whose cognitive function was temporarily impaired by treatment. During a treatment period they attempted to access their wallet and entered their passphrase incorrectly several times, triggering a wallet lockout. When their cognition recovered they could not recall the passphrase to unlock the wallet.

Custody context

Stress condition	Owner incapacity
Custody system	Mobile or software wallet
Outcome	Survives
Documentation	Unknown
Year observed	2019
Country	Unknown

Structural dependencies observed

Single point of failure

Outcome interpretation

Access remained possible under the reported conditions.

Source

Publicly Reported

Evidence type

Forum post

Evidence link

https://medium.com/@wayne_huang/rsa-2015-panel-bitcoin-s-future-threats-expert-s-roundtable-based-on-150-case-studies-92cc35e68e30

Related cases involving owner incapacity

68 cases involve owner incapacity 572 cases involve mobile or software wallet View archive statistics →

This archive documents observed custody survivability failures. It does not attempt to document all Bitcoin losses or security incidents. Submit a case

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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.