Crypto inheritance: how to pass on your wallet safely
Calm, factual guidance on handing over crypto you hold yourself. General information only, not legal or financial advice.
What happens to crypto when someone dies?
Crypto kept in a wallet the person controlled is usually out of reach for their family unless someone has the keys or clear instructions to reach it.
There is no bank or helpdesk that can reset a self-custody wallet. A will or inheritance law may decide who is entitled to the assets, but legal inheritance does not guarantee technical access to them.
Rules differ by country, and exchanges set their own procedures for deceased customers. If you are unsure what applies to you, ask a qualified lawyer.
Why shouldn’t you share your seed phrase today?
Anyone who has your seed phrase can move all of your funds at once, so sharing it gives that person full control before you intend to.
A seed phrase also cannot be changed or revoked, and a note, photo, email or chat message can be copied or found by someone else. Sharing it early trades a future problem for an immediate risk.
What are safe ways to plan a handover?
A safe plan separates the ability to move funds from the knowledge of what to do, so nobody can act early but your family can follow clear steps later.
- Hardware wallet location: keep the device and its backup in places you choose, and record where they are rather than what they contain.
- Multisig: a wallet that needs several keys to approve a transaction can let one key sit with a trusted person without giving them control alone.
- Inheritance instructions: record which wallets exist, what to do first and who can help, without writing out the seed phrase in plain text.
- Trusted people: choose people who understand the plan, tell them it exists and review it once a year.
Test any plan with a small amount first, and update it when wallets, devices or people change.
How does SealedLight help?
SealedLight is planned to keep encrypted handover instructions for nominees you choose and verify, and to release them only after a careful, cancellable process; it never holds your funds or keys.
Crypto handover is planned as part of the Legacy plan. Nominees accept the role from their own email and create their own private key on their own device. You can request an optional ID check with a live selfie for each person, reviewed by our team. A person reviews evidence such as a death certificate, and logging in or checking in cancels the process at any stage.
SealedLight is not a wallet, an exchange or a legal will, and early access is planned for January 2027. Nothing described here is available yet.
Crypto inheritance questions
Is SealedLight a crypto wallet?
No. SealedLight is non-custodial and never holds your crypto. It is planned to store instructions only.
Can a will pass on my crypto?
A will can say who should inherit your assets, but it cannot by itself give anyone the technical access needed to move them. Formal validity depends on your jurisdiction, so ask a qualified lawyer.
Should my instructions include my seed phrase?
We advise against writing a seed phrase into any note that others could read. Describe where recovery material is kept and how to reach it, and consider options such as multisig where suitable.
What if my nominee never needs the instructions?
Nothing is released while you keep checking in. Logging in or checking in cancels the release process at any stage.
When can I use crypto handover?
Crypto handover is planned for the Legacy plan at early access in January 2027. The vault is not open yet.