Crypto inheritance

Crypto inheritance is planning how your family will access your crypto if you die or become incapacitated. Unlike a bank account, self-custodied crypto cannot be recovered by a bank or court order alone: without the seed phrase or private keys, the coins are permanently lost. Large amounts of bitcoin are believed to be lost already for exactly this reason.

A basic plan includes an up-to-date list of where your assets are held (exchanges, wallets, networks), instructions written for a non-technical person, and secure arrangements for the seed phrase, such as a sealed copy with a trusted person or lawyer, or a multisig setup in which family members or a specialist service hold some keys. For exchange accounts, heirs usually need a death certificate, legal documents and the account holder's identity details.

Mention digital assets in your will, avoid putting seed phrases in the will itself, because wills can become public documents, and review the plan whenever your holdings change.