Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
Seed phrase unavailable
Cases in this category involve wallets for which the seed phrase could not be located. Without the seed phrase, access to the wallet was not possible.
Seed phrase unavailability is the single most structurally decisive failure mode in this archive. Unlike device loss, seed unavailability typically cannot be mitigated after the fact — once the seed phrase is gone, no recovery path exists regardless of other factors. Cases arise from failure to record the seed at setup, subsequent loss of the written record, and storage in locations that became inaccessible.
146 observed cases
Blocked
89 (61%)
Constrained
6 (4%)
Survives
43 (29%)
Indeterminate
8 (5%)
They found the cloud account had been hacked and the document deleted.
Mobile or software wallet
A Bitcoin holder stored their seed in a cloud document with restricted sharing. In November 2020 they found the cloud account had been hacked and the document d
Device stolen — hardware wallet (2020)
Hardware wallet (single key)
A user stored their seed in a fireproof safe that was stolen during a home burglary in May 2020. The thieves opened the safe using a cutting tool. The seed card
They could recall 10 words confidently but 2 words were inaccessible.
Mobile or software wallet
A Bitcoin holder who had memorised their 12-word seed phrase suffered a minor stroke in March 2020 that caused selective word-retrieval difficulties. They could
Seed phrase unavailable — software wallet 2020
Mobile or software wallet
A user who had stored their seed in a time-locked smart contract — intending to prevent premature access — found in April 2020 that the smart contract's unlock
Seed phrase unavailable — software wallet 2020
Mobile or software wallet
A Bitcoin user who had used a Shamir's Secret Sharing scheme to protect their seed found in May 2020 that the open-source tool they had used had been abandoned
The email provider terminated the account for suspected spam activity in March 2019.
Hardware wallet (single key)
A user's hardware wallet seed was stored in a scanned PDF in an email attachment sent to themselves for safekeeping. The email provider terminated the account f
Seed unavailable — hardware wallet (2019)
Hardware wallet (single key)
A user who had stored their hardware wallet seed in an encrypted email draft found in April 2019 that the email provider had closed their account for inactivity
Seed unavailable — software wallet (2019)
Mobile or software wallet
An April 2019 case describes a user who had stored their seed in a QR code engraved on a metal plate. The engraving was too fine and had worn away over several
The safe was stolen in a home burglary in July 2019.
Mobile or software wallet
A user's seed phrase was stored on a microSD card inside a small safe. The safe was stolen in a home burglary in July 2019. The safe was later found opened and
By 2019 one relative had emigrated and their copy was at an unreachable address.
Hardware wallet (single key)
An estate case from September 2019 involves a living person who had distributed their seed words across three paper documents given to three relatives. By 2019
They returned to retrieve it and found the hiding spot had been landscaped over by
Hardware wallet (single key)
A user stored their seed in a custom-built waterproof container that they hid outside their home. In October 2019 they returned to retrieve it and found the hid
The smartphone was reset to factory defaults after a technical fault.
Mobile or software wallet
A user stored their seed phrase in a voice memo on their smartphone. In November 2019 the smartphone was reset to factory defaults after a technical fault. The
By 2019 they could recall only 16 words and were uncertain of the order of the ones
Mobile or software wallet
A December 2019 case describes a user who had memorised their seed phrase but forgot it gradually between 2015 and 2019 as they stopped actively reciting it. By
Seed unavailable — hardware wallet (2019)
Hardware wallet (single key)
A user who had distributed their seed across three sealed envelopes — one with a lawyer, one at home, one with a family member — found in June 2019 that the law
Upon recovery they could recall most but not all 24 words.
Mobile or software wallet
A user who had memorised their seed phrase was involved in a serious accident in March 2019 resulting in temporary amnesia. Upon recovery they could recall most
Recovery from the device alone was attempted but the device required a seed after a PIN
Hardware wallet (single key)
A user discovered in January 2019 that their hardware wallet seed phrase had been stored in a sealed envelope given to their solicitor. The solicitor had retire
Seed phrase unavailable — hardware wallet 2019
Hardware wallet (single key)
A user who had stored their seed phrase in a safety deposit box emigrated and closed their domestic bank account in February 2019. The bank sent contents of the
The plate was placed in a moving box that was subsequently lost by the removals company.
Hardware wallet (single key)
A user who had stored their seed in a metal plate buried in their garden moved house in May 2019 and dug up the plate for transport. The plate was placed in a m
Seed unavailable — software wallet (2019)
Mobile or software wallet
An August 2019 case describes a user who photographed each word of their seed phrase separately and stored the photos in a shared cloud album. The album was acc
Seed phrase unavailable — hardware wallet 2018
Hardware wallet (single key)
A user whose hardware wallet and seed phrase had both been stored in a bank safe deposit box found in November 2018 that the bank branch had closed and all safe
One of the three trusted custodians died and their family discarded all personal papers.
Hardware wallet (single key)
A user had divided their 24-word seed into three 8-word fragments and given each to a trusted person. In November 2018 one of the three trusted custodians died
Seed phrase unavailable — software wallet 2018
Mobile or software wallet
A user stored their seed phrase in a safety deposit box in a bank branch that was subsequently closed by the bank in October 2018 as part of a branch consolidat
Paper wallet faded — software wallet (2018)
Mobile or software wallet
A March 2018 forum case describes a user who had written their seed phrase in invisible ink on a card, intending to reveal it only when needed. By 2018 the invi
Seed phrase unavailable — software wallet 2018
Mobile or software wallet
A user who had tattooed their seed phrase on an inner arm in abbreviated form found in April 2018 that the tattoo had faded unevenly over three years, making fo
Seed unavailable — software wallet (2018)
Mobile or software wallet
A user who had engraved their seed phrase on a metal plate stored in their vehicle had the vehicle stolen in May 2018. The thief took the vehicle but the metal
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