CustodyStress
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Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01328

Destroyed in flood — Trezor (2025)

Blocked
Case description
A 2025 flood in Slovenia destroyed the home of a Bitcoin holder along with their Trezor Model One and the paper seed phrase backup stored in the same location. Unlike similar cases where the device survived and provided ongoing access, in this case both the device and its backup were destroyed simultaneously in the same flood event. The holder had on-chain proof of the wallet addresses through their transaction history. A recovery specialist confirmed there was no technical path to access the wallet without either the seed phrase or the physical device with its PIN. The Bitcoin was visible on the blockchain and permanently inaccessible.
Custody context
Stress conditionSeed phrase unavailable
Custody systemHardware wallet (single key)
OutcomeBlocked
DocumentationUnknown
Year observed2025
CountryInternational
What this illustrates
Without the seed phrase, the wallet couldn't be restored — on any device, ever. Access was not recoverable.
Outcome interpretation
Access was not possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Privately Reported
Evidence type
News article
Evidence link
https://datarecovery.com/rd/crypto-inheritance-creating-a-recovery-plan-for-your-family/
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Hardware wallet (single key) · 2025 Constrained
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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