Short answers, with a link to the page that gives the long one. If your question isn’t here, email the site; questions that come up often get added.
The basics
What happens to crypto when someone dies?
Nothing, by itself. Coins in a wallet stay at their addresses; an exchange keeps the account. Someone has to find out it exists, prove they may act for the estate and either claim it from the exchange or use the keys. If nobody can do that, the crypto stays where it is for ever. See Why crypto gets lost.
Does crypto go through probate?
In the US, UK, Canada and Australia, yes, like any other property, unless it’s held in a trust or passes by a transfer-on-death designation; in most of continental Europe there’s no probate as such, but a notary or court issues a certificate of inheritance instead. That document (letters testamentary, a grant of probate, a certificate of inheritance) is what exchanges ask for. The country pages explain the local version: United States, United Kingdom, EU, Canada, Australia.
Is inherited crypto taxed?
Depends on the country. In the US only estates above $15 million pay federal estate tax; in the UK inheritance tax applies above £325,000; Canada taxes the deceased on the gain at death; Australia and some EU countries have no inheritance tax at all. Separately, the heir may owe tax when they sell. See By country.
What’s a seed phrase?
Twelve or twenty-four words (sometimes eighteen; Trezor’s newer backups use twenty or thirty-three) that can rebuild a wallet on any compatible device. Whoever has them has the coins. It’s the single thing heirs most need and the single thing that must never be typed into a website. Glossary.
Planning
Should I put my seed phrase in my will?
No. In many places a will becomes a public document after probate. The will says who inherits; a separate letter of instruction says where the secrets are. See Crypto in your will.
Can I name a beneficiary on my exchange account?
Mostly not. Coinbase, Kraken, Gemini and most others say they don’t offer it; River and Unchained do; Binance has an emergency-contact feature. See Exchanges and apps: what to set up now.
Is a hardware wallet safe for inheritance?
Yes, if the seed backup, the PIN and any passphrase are part of the plan. The device itself can be replaced; the seed words can’t. See What your heirs need.
I use a passphrase. What do my heirs need to know?
That it exists, where it is and that the wallet looks empty without it. See Passphrases and inheritance.
Where should I keep my seed phrase?
On metal, in two places, with the passphrase somewhere else again, and a letter that says where. A bank safe deposit box can be sealed for months after a death, so never make it the only copy. See Where to keep seed phrases and secrets.
Do I need a paid inheritance service?
No. Casa, Unchained and Nunchuk give you a guided process for a subscription; a multisig with a trusted keyholder or a timelocked recovery key does the same job without a company. See Paid services compared.
Should I give crypto away now instead?
Tax treats gifts and inheritances differently, and not the same way in every country: in the US a gift keeps your old purchase price, in the UK and Australia the gift itself is a taxable sale. See Give it now or leave it.
My company holds the crypto. What then?
Your heirs inherit shares, and someone has to be appointed director before anyone can touch the coins. Plan the succession route and give a second person a key. See Crypto held by a company.
My heirs are children. Who holds the crypto?
An adult you name in your will, until an age you choose; otherwise a court decides and the coins are usually sold. See Crypto for minors.
I only hold a bitcoin ETF. Do I need any of this?
Much less. An ETF is a security in a brokerage account: a beneficiary form or the will covers it, and there are no keys. See Bitcoin ETFs and crypto in a brokerage account.
What if I become ill rather than die?
A will does nothing while you’re alive. You need a power of attorney that covers digital assets, and a way for that person to actually reach the coins. See Incapacity.
For heirs
We found a hardware wallet. What do we do?
Don’t guess the PIN: many devices wipe themselves after a few wrong tries. Look for the seed words and a letter first. See Found a hardware wallet or seed phrase?
We restored the seed phrase and the wallet is empty. Is the money gone?
Probably not. The usual reasons are a passphrase, a different coin or network, a different wallet app, or a second account that has to be added by hand. See the empty-wallet section and, for Ethereum-style wallets, Ethereum, tokens, NFTs and DeFi.
Can we just log in to their exchange account?
Don’t. Use the exchange’s process for deceased customers: a death certificate, the probate document and your ID. Logging in as the dead person breaks the exchange’s terms and can freeze the account. See Claiming from an exchange.
How do we restore the seed on a new device?
Buy it from the maker, choose “restore” during setup, type the words on the device, then add the coins in the app and compare the first address with the recovery sheet. Device by device: Restoring an inherited seed.
How long does claiming from an exchange take?
Weeks to months. The slow part is getting the probate document; once you have it, send claims to every exchange at once. Binance says it usually takes one to two months, longer in complex cases.
Someone offered to recover the crypto for us. Is that real?
If they contacted you, no. Legitimate recovery exists only when part of the key is known, is paid on success and never needs the full seed phrase. See Recovery scams and When the keys are really lost.
What’s the crypto worth for the estate?
Its value on the date of death, from one consistent, documented price source. See Valuing crypto at the date of death.
Should we sell it?
That’s your decision, not this site’s. Nothing has to happen quickly. Move it to a wallet of your own first, then decide. See After you’ve got access.
The person lived abroad. Which rules apply?
Usually the law of the country where they lived, for who inherits; tax can be claimed by more than one country. In the EU the Succession Regulation decides. Get specialist advice. See Crypto inheritance by country, with pages for Germany, France and the Netherlands.
About this site
Who is behind this site, and does it sell anything?
One person, who holds their own crypto and keeps their name off the site on purpose. It sells nothing and never asks for seed words. A few hardware wallet links are affiliate links. See About and the affiliate disclosure.
Is this legal advice?
No. It’s an explanation of how the practical side works, with links to the official sources for the legal and tax side. Your lawyer, notary or adviser gives the advice. See the disclaimer.