Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00333
Seed phrase unavailable — software wallet 2016
BlockedCase description
A user who had divided their 24-word BIP39 seed into three 8-word groups and stored each separately found in August 2016 that two of the three locations were accessible but the third—stored in a work locker—had been cleared during an office move. None of the three individual groups alone was sufficient to recover the wallet.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Seed phrase unavailable |
| Custody system | Mobile or software wallet |
| Outcome | Blocked |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2016 |
| Country | Unknown |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
There was only one way in. When that path was gone, so was access. 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
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
← All cases
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.
Translate