Crypto Inheritance: How to Pass Digital Assets to Your Heirs

Crypto held in self-custodial wallets can be permanently lost if you die without proper planning. Here is how to ensure your assets are inherited.

An estimated $100 billion in Bitcoin has been permanently lost because owners died without sharing wallet access details. This is the darkest reality of self-custody: the same security that protects your assets from theft also protects them from your loved ones after your death. Crypto inheritance planning is not optional for any significant holding.

The Crypto Inheritance Problem

Inheritance Solutions

Building Your Crypto Estate Plan

Step 1: document all wallets, exchange accounts, and crypto holdings. Step 2: decide on access mechanism (sealed letter, multi-sig, inheritance service). Step 3: execute the mechanism and test it with your executor. Step 4: store the backup securely in multiple locations (safety deposit box, solicitor). Step 5: review annually — hardware wallets age, seed phrase locations should be re-confirmed. Steyble's multi-sig wallet options integrate with inheritance services for seamless estate planning.