Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00852
Seed unavailable — hardware wallet (2020)
BlockedCase description
A hardware wallet user whose device was bricked by a firmware update in January 2020 found that their seed phrase had been stored in a sealed envelope at a bank branch. The branch had closed in 2019 and contents were supposedly forwarded to a central vault. The vault had no record of receiving the specific envelope.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Seed phrase unavailable |
| Custody system | Hardware wallet (single key) |
| Outcome | Blocked |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2020 |
| Country | Unknown |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
Getting access back required help from an institution — and that help wasn't available. 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 seed phrase unavailable
146 cases involve seed phrase unavailable
274 cases involve hardware wallet (single key)
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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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