Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01141
A MultiBit wallet user from 2013 attempted to access their wallet in early 2023.
SurvivesCase description
A MultiBit wallet user from 2013 attempted to access their wallet in early 2023. MultiBit was officially discontinued in 2017 and is no longer supported. The wallet format uses an unusual encryption scheme incompatible with standard recovery tools. The user had the wallet file and a partial password memory but no seed phrase (MultiBit did not use BIP39 seeds). A specialist recovery service (KeychainX) confirmed the wallet format required custom tooling. After four days of tailored brute-force testing, the password was found and the funds moved to a supported wallet.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Passphrase unavailable |
| Custody system | Desktop Software Wallet |
| Outcome | Survives |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2023 |
| Country | International |
Structural dependencies observed
Outcome interpretation
Access remained possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Privately Reported
Evidence type
News article
Related cases involving passphrase unavailable
217 cases involve passphrase unavailable
25 cases involve desktop 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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