Losing someone can be difficult. Unchained's Estate Services Team is here to help.
Depending on the type of account, type of estate, and state of legal residence, our team will work with authorized representatives of the estate to determine the applicable transfer process. Two things are required for an inheritor to receive bitcoin: legal title and key control.
A note to inheritors and beneficiaries:
If you are actively trying to recover a loved one's Unchained account, e have a comprehensive guide for the next steps in our estate center. When you feel ready, reach out to inheritance@unchained.com.
While we can’t offer legal or tax advice, we can help you understand the process and provide personalized assistance. You may have bitcoin seed phrases (a set of 12 or 24 words) or hardware wallets like Ledger, Trezor, or Coldcard. Do not send any of these words to Unchained and do not take a photo or digital copy of them.
Inheritors must have legal title.
Unchained will only assist clients that we are legally allowed to. The executor of your estate will need to present relevant documentation from a probate office or court as evidence of appointment. Depending on the state or specific circumstances involved, documents requested may include, but not be limited to, the following: Short Certificate, Certificate of Appointment, Letters Testamentary, birth or marriage certificate, or proof of legal name change.
This process is easier if the inheritor is any of the following:
- An Unchained IRA beneficiary
- An Unchained personal vault beneficiary
- A trustee added to an Unchained trust account
Note: If you already have a trust, you can onboard it with an Unchained trust account. If you're interested in creating a legal trust, consult your lawyer or estate planning professional in your jurisdiction.
Inheritors must have access to at least one key.
In the case of Unchained vaults, two keys are always required to move the bitcoin and Unchained only holds one. Therefore, clients absolutely must have a plan to effectively pass a key to inheritors.
The Unchained Inheritance Protocol provides everything a client needs to discreetly ensure the succession of a key.