Passphrase unavailable — software wallet (2023)

Blocked

Case description

A Trust Wallet user who had set up their wallet in 2021 and used a 6-digit PIN attempted to access their wallet in 2023 after getting a new phone. Trust Wallet's mobile implementation requires the seed phrase to restore on a new device—the PIN alone cannot unlock the wallet on a different handset. The user had not written down the seed phrase, believing the PIN was sufficient. The old phone was no longer functional after a hardware failure. The Bitcoin in the wallet was permanently inaccessible.

Custody context

Stress condition	Passphrase unavailable
Custody system	Mobile or software wallet
Outcome	Blocked
Documentation	Unknown
Year observed	2023
Country	International

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

Privately Reported

Evidence type

News article

Evidence link

https://rewallet.com/blog/bitcoin-core-forgotten-password/

Related cases involving passphrase unavailable

217 cases involve passphrase unavailable 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.