CustodyStress
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Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01224

Device discarded — Ledger Nano X (2024)

Constrained
Case description
A 2024 case involved a Ledger Nano X user who discovered that the notebook in which they had written their seed phrase had been accidentally thrown away during a house move. The hardware wallet device was functional and the PIN was known. The user could transact normally while the device remained operational but faced the prospect of permanent loss in the event of any device failure. A recovery specialist confirmed that without the seed phrase, there was no mechanism to extract the keys from a functional Ledger device—the hardware security model was designed specifically to prevent key extraction. The holder transferred funds to a new wallet with documented seed phrase storage as a precaution.
Custody context
Stress conditionSeed phrase unavailable
Custody systemHardware wallet (single key)
OutcomeConstrained
DocumentationUnknown
Year observed2024
CountryInternational
What this illustrates
Without the seed phrase, the wallet couldn't be restored — on any device, ever. Whether full access was ultimately possible is unclear, but significant delay or outside intervention was involved.
Outcome interpretation
Access remained possible, but only with delay, dependence, or significant difficulty.
Source
Privately Reported
Evidence type
News article
Evidence link
https://www.ledger.com/academy/topics/crypto/how-to-find-and-recover-lost-bitcoin-wallets
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146 cases involve seed phrase unavailable 274 cases involve hardware wallet (single key) 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.
Terms guide
Outcome terms
Survives
Access remained possible under the reported conditions.
Constrained
Access remained possible, but only with delay, dependence, or significant difficulty.
Blocked
Access was not possible under the reported conditions.
Indeterminate
There was not enough information to determine the outcome.
Structural terms
Single-person knowledge
Recovery depended on information or capability held by one individual who was unavailable.
Institutional dependence
Recovery depended on a third-party institution or service that was inaccessible or uncooperative.
Documentation gap
Recovery depended on instructions that were missing, incomplete, or unclear.
Authority mismatch
The person with legal authority to act did not have operational access, or vice versa.
Original text
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