The passphrase had been in daily use for one year in 2017–2018 then completely unused.

Blocked

Case description

A Bitcoin holder who had purchased during the 2017 peak found in February 2021, with BTC near its ATH, that they could not recall the passphrase to a wallet containing a significant balance. The passphrase had been in daily use for one year in 2017–2018 then completely unused. Three years of dormancy had erased the memory entirely.

Custody context

Stress condition	Passphrase unavailable
Custody system	Mobile or software wallet
Outcome	Blocked
Documentation	Unknown
Year observed	2021
Country	Unknown

Structural dependencies observed

Single point of failure

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

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=255793.0

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.