Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00202
Institutional lockout — exchange custody (2015)
SurvivesCase description
The CFTC filed its first formal enforcement action against a Bitcoin derivatives exchange in September 2015. The exchange was ordered to freeze all customer assets pending a compliance hearing. Customers had no advance notice. The hearing resolved after 60 days, with customers receiving access to their funds minus a fine paid from the operator's own reserves.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Vendor lockout |
| Custody system | Exchange custody |
| Outcome | Survives |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2015 |
| Country | United States |
Structural dependencies observed
Outcome interpretation
Access remained possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
News article
Evidence link
Related cases involving vendor lockout
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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