Inherited Bitcoin? Start Here
A practical crisis guide for executors, heirs, trustees, and family members.
When someone passes away owning Bitcoin, the first priority is not speed. It is avoiding an irreversible mistake.
Bitcoin inheritance is not like recovering a bank account. The outcome depends on whether the deceased left enough information to prove ownership, locate the wallet, and safely move funds without exposing private keys. If seed words, hardware wallets, or exchange records have been found, do not enter anything online and do not experiment with devices.
This guide explains what to secure, what to look for, what not to do, and when to involve a professional Bitcoin estate specialist.
Planning ahead for your own Bitcoin (not in a crisis now)? See Estate Planning & Inheritance.
Do not do these five things
Most inheritance losses happen because families expose keys while trying to move quickly, or because they trust the wrong "recovery" service.
- Do not type seed words into any website. Fake recovery sites exist to steal master keys.
- Do not photograph or email seed words. Digital copies multiply theft risk.
- Do not send seed words to a recovery expert. Legitimate professionals start with diagnosis, not disclosure.
- Do not guess hardware wallet PINs. Multiple wrong attempts can wipe the device permanently.
- Do not move Bitcoin before legal authority and the destination wallet are clear.
What we will never ask you for
We will never ask you to email, upload, photograph, or type seed words into a website. If seed words exist, they should be handled only under a controlled recovery process agreed with your lawyer and our team. The first step is diagnosis, not disclosure.
That approach is core to how The Bitcoin Adviser works with families in crisis: reduce exposure, establish authority, then plan any technical steps.
Identify where the Bitcoin lives
Check the deceased's digital and physical records to determine which of these three categories applies:
| Storage type | What to look for | Recovery path |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange | Emails from Coinbase, Gemini, Kraken, or Binance; monthly statements or account confirmations. | Moderate: Contact exchange estate support. They will require legal authority documents specific to your jurisdiction. |
| Self-custody | A hardware device (Trezor, Ledger) or a written list of 12 or 24 seed words on paper or metal. | Technical: Recovery depends on finding keys or seed material. Without the necessary key material, funds are usually unrecoverable. |
| Multisig | References to Unchained, Theya, Casa, or similar; multiple hardware devices or co-signer roles. | Guided: With collaborative security, a professional partner may hold a backup key to assist under documented authority. |
The executor's immediate checklist
Place any Trezors, Ledgers, or USB sticks in a fireproof safe. Do not power on or guess PINs yet.
Depending on jurisdiction, this may include a death certificate, grant of probate, letters of administration, executor authority, trustee authority, or exchange-specific estate documentation.
Search physical files, safes, and safety deposit boxes for 12 or 24 words. Do not photograph or email them.
Search for terms like Exchange, Wallet, 2FA, or brand names (Coinbase, Trezor, Theya, Unchained) to find account trails.
What to gather before contacting us
You do not need everything on day one. Gathering the following helps us triage faster:
- Death certificate or executor or trustee authority, if available
- Names of exchanges or wallet services found in email history
- Photos of hardware wallet devices only (not seed words)
- Screenshots of exchange account names or statements, if accessible
- Any references to Unchained, Theya, Casa, Ledger, Trezor, Sparrow, Electrum, BlueWallet, Nunchuk, or Coldcard
- Approximate value, if known
- Whether anyone else may know about the Bitcoin
Existing clients vs non-client estates
If the deceased was already a client of The Bitcoin Adviser, contact us directly. Their Estate Plan Protocol and collaborative security setup may provide a structured recovery path. Do not improvise with devices or seed material until you have spoken with us.
If they were not a client, we can still help the executor identify the storage method, assess risk, and design a safe transition process. We cannot unlock a lost single-signature wallet if keys are gone, but we can guide triage when devices, records, or multisig structure exist.
Professional estate triage (non-client estates)
The Bitcoin Adviser provides non-custodial audit and transition support for executors facing discovered Bitcoin:
- Security audit: Identify found devices and explain risks in your specific situation.
- Safe handling: Guide moving inherited Bitcoin into a secure estate-controlled wallet, consistent with the estate's legal instructions, to reduce theft risk during settlement.
- Fiduciary coordination: We work with your lawyer, solicitor, estate attorney, executor, or trustee so technical steps match legal authority.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if I inherited Bitcoin?
The first step is to avoid irreversible mistakes: do not type seed words into any website, do not share details publicly, and do not experiment with devices.
Identify where the Bitcoin is stored, secure hardware, gather legal authority documents, search for seed phrases only in private, and audit email history for exchange or wallet trails.
How do I recover Bitcoin from a deceased person?
Recovery depends on how the Bitcoin was stored.
Exchanges require legal estate documents; self-custody requires seed phrases or hardware without exposing keys online; multisig with collaborative security may allow professional assistance under documented authority. Never type seed words into websites.
What if I found my dad's Bitcoin seed words?
Do not type these words into any website.
Scammers create fake recovery sites to steal seed words. Secure the words safely, gather legal authority documents, and contact a professional Bitcoin estate specialist for a controlled triage process.
What should I gather before contacting The Bitcoin Adviser?
Gather authority documents, account trails, and device evidence without exposing seed words.
Useful items include death certificate or executor or trustee authority; exchange or wallet names from email; photos of hardware only; exchange screenshots if accessible; references to Unchained, Theya, Casa, Ledger, Trezor, Sparrow, Electrum, BlueWallet, Nunchuk, or Coldcard; approximate value; and whether others may know about the Bitcoin.
What if the deceased was already a client of The Bitcoin Adviser?
Contact us directly.
Their Estate Plan Protocol and collaborative security setup may provide a structured recovery path. Do not improvise with devices or seed material until you have spoken with us.
More answers: Knowledge base · Estate planning · Security Centre · Emergency kit
Need help with inherited Bitcoin?
If you have found a hardware wallet, seed phrase, exchange account, or references to a multisig vault, we can help you assess the situation before anything is moved or exposed.