Passphrase unavailable — exchange 2015

Survives

Case description

A Bitcoin user attempted to log in to their exchange account in March 2015 after a long dormancy period and discovered their email provider had discontinued the service and deleted the account. Without access to the registered email, the exchange's password reset process was blocked, preventing account access.

Custody context

Stress condition	Passphrase unavailable
Custody system	Exchange custody
Outcome	Survives
Documentation	Unknown
Year observed	2015
Country	Unknown

Structural dependencies observed

Single point of failureThird-party platform dependency

Outcome interpretation

Access remained possible under the reported conditions.

Source

Publicly Reported

Evidence type

Forum post

Evidence link

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=83794.0

Related cases involving passphrase unavailable

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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.