Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00513
Seed phrase unavailable — software wallet 2017
SurvivesCase description
A user who had distributed their 24-word seed across three paper copies — kept at home, at work, and at a relative's house — found in December 2017 that the home copy had been discarded in a flood cleanup, the work copy had been shredded by a new office cleaning service, and only the relative's copy survived. Recovery from a single copy was possible after confirming it was complete.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Seed phrase unavailable |
| Custody system | Mobile or software wallet |
| Outcome | Survives |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2017 |
| Country | Unknown |
Structural dependencies observed
Outcome interpretation
Access remained 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
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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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