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How to access someone's crypto after they die

Crypto is part of the deceased estate like any other asset. How you get to it depends on where it was held. Crypto on an Australian exchange can usually be recovered through a paperwork process similar to a bank account. Crypto in a personal wallet can only be recovered with the wallet's recovery phrase. If that phrase is lost, the crypto is almost certainly gone for good.

Last changed: 19 October 2026

Step 1: Work out what they had and where

Look for:

• Exchange emails, such as sign-up confirmations, trade notices and statements
• Bank transfers to exchanges in their bank statements
• Crypto apps on their phone or computer
• Hardware wallets (small USB-like devices) and paper or metal cards with 12 or 24 words written on them
• Tax records. Past returns may list crypto disposals.

Keep any recovery phrase private. Anyone who has it can take the crypto. Don't photograph it, type it into a website, or share it with anyone offering to "recover" funds.

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Step 2: If it's on an exchange

The executor or administrator contacts the exchange's support team and provides documents. Requirements vary, but expect:

• A certified copy of the death certificate
• Grant of probate or letters of administration
• ID for the person acting for the estate

For example, Australian exchange Digital Surge asks for exactly these and says the crypto and any AUD balance form part of the deceased estate. (Digital Surge) Once verified, the exchange will typically either transfer the crypto or sell it and pay the proceeds to the estate account. Search each exchange's help centre for "deceased" to find its process.

Step 3: If it's in a personal wallet

With the recovery phrase (and any extra passphrase), the executor can restore the wallet using compatible wallet software and move the crypto to an account the estate controls. Without the phrase, there's no company to call and no reset process.

Get technical help from someone you trust if you're unsure. Mistakes, like sending to the wrong address, can't be reversed.

Tax: what the ATO says

• Passing an asset to the executor or to a beneficiary is generally not a capital gains tax (CGT) event, so there's usually no CGT just because someone inherits crypto. (ATO)
• CGT can apply later, when the estate or beneficiary sells or swaps it.
• The deceased's final tax return still needs to include any crypto they sold or swapped before they died.

Keep records of the value at the date of death and every transaction after it. Speak to a tax agent about the cost base before selling.

Watch for scams

Grieving families are targeted by fake "crypto recovery" services. Legitimate exchanges never ask for a recovery phrase, and no genuine service can recover a wallet without one.

This guide is general information only, not legal, financial or tax advice. Providers change their processes, so always confirm the current steps on the linked official page. For advice on a specific estate, speak with a solicitor, accountant or licensed financial adviser.