Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00136
Passphrase unavailable — exchange custody (2014)
BlockedCase description
An exchange customer whose account used 2FA via Google Authenticator lost access when their phone was wiped. They had not backed up the 2FA seed. The exchange's account recovery process required extensive documentation that the user, who had registered pseudonymously, could not produce. The account remained locked.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Passphrase unavailable |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Blocked |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2014 |
| Country | Unknown |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
The seed phrase was there, but the passphrase that unlocked it was gone. Both are required. Access was not recoverable.
Outcome interpretation
Access was not possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
Forum post
Evidence link
Related cases involving passphrase unavailable
217 cases involve passphrase unavailable
512 cases involve exchange custody
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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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