How to find crypto as an executor
If you're dealing with the estate of someone who may have owned crypto, this checklist shows where to look and what to do next.
Step 1: Look for clues
Crypto rarely leaves a paper trail, but there are usually signs if you know where to look.
- Bank statements. Payments to or from Coinbase, Kraken, Binance, Revolut, eToro, Crypto.com or similar.
- Email. Search for "Coinbase", "Kraken", "Binance", "wallet", "Bitcoin", "deposit confirmed" or "withdrawal".
- Phone and computer apps. Exchange apps, or wallet apps such as MetaMask, Phantom, Trust Wallet, Exodus or Ledger Live.
- Physical devices. Small USB-like devices (Ledger, Trezor), which are hardware wallets.
- Paper or metal notes. A list of 12 or 24 random words is almost certainly a recovery phrase. Treat it like cash: keep it private and safe.
- Password managers. Entries for exchanges or wallets.
- Tax records. Past Self Assessment returns may mention crypto gains.
Step 2: Claim exchange accounts
If the person used an exchange, the company holds the crypto and has a process for executors. You'll usually need:
- the death certificate
- the grant of probate (or letters of administration)
- your own photo ID
- instructions on where to send the assets
Coinbase, for example, has an executor claim form in its help centre. Contact each exchange you find a sign of, even if you're not sure an account exists.
Step 3: Deal with personal wallets carefully
If the crypto is in the person's own wallet, the recovery phrase is the only way in. If you find it:
- Don't photograph it, type it into a website, or share it by message.
- Keep it somewhere secure until you've taken advice on moving the funds safely.
- Consider asking a professional to help. A mistake here can't be undone.
If you can't find the recovery phrase, the crypto usually can't be recovered. You should still record what you believe was there for the Inheritance Tax forms.
Beware of "recovery" scams. Grieving families are targeted by people claiming they can recover lost crypto for a fee. Legitimate firms never ask for payment in crypto up front or for your own passwords. If in doubt, speak to a solicitor first.
Step 4: Value everything on the date of death
For each holding, note the amount and its price in pounds on the date of death, with the source of the price. This goes on the Inheritance Tax forms and becomes the starting value for the beneficiaries' own tax later. See Does crypto count for Inheritance Tax?
Step 5: Keep records
Keep copies of everything: exchange statements, screenshots of balances, prices used and letters sent. If HMRC or a beneficiary asks questions later, you'll have the answers.
Dealing with an estate now?
The Executor Kit walks you through every step in this guide: checklists of where to look, a list of what you find, prices on the date of death for HMRC, and a claim letter for each exchange, filled in for you. £39.
See the Executor KitPlanning your own estate?
A WalletLegacy plan saves your executor all of this work: a clear list of what you hold, where it is and what to do, without ever sharing your recovery phrase.
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This guide is general information for executors in England and Wales, not legal or tax advice. For complex estates or large amounts, speak to a solicitor.