Crypto Inheritance: How to Pass On Your Digital Assets After Death

When you die, your crypto inheritance, the legal transfer of digital assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and NFTs to heirs after death. Also known as digital estate planning, it’s one of the most overlooked parts of modern finance. Unlike bank accounts or real estate, crypto isn’t controlled by a central company. If no one has your private keys or recovery phrases, those coins are gone forever—locked in wallets no one can access. There’s no customer service line to call. No reset button. Just silence.

That’s why digital assets, cryptocurrencies, tokens, NFTs, and other blockchain-based holdings that have real-world value. Also known as on-chain wealth, it needs the same care as your house or savings. Many people store crypto in hot wallets for daily use, but keep their long-term holdings in cold wallets—hardware devices or paper backups. If those aren’t shared with someone you trust, your family might never know they exist. A 2023 study estimated over $20 billion in crypto is permanently lost because owners died without leaving access instructions. That’s not a glitch—it’s preventable.

So how do you fix this? Start with a crypto will, a legal document that clearly states who gets your digital assets and how to access them. Also known as digital will, it should include: which wallets you own, where the recovery phrases are stored (like a safe or encrypted file), and who’s responsible for managing them. Don’t write your seed phrase on paper and leave it in a drawer—someone could steal it. Use a trusted third-party vault or a multi-signature setup where two or more people must approve access. Some platforms now offer inheritance features, like Ledger’s Legacy Plan or Coinbase’s Estate Planning Tool. But most crypto isn’t on exchanges—it’s in self-custody. That means you’re the only one holding the keys.

And don’t forget about wallet access, the process of retrieving control over a cryptocurrency wallet using private keys, recovery phrases, or hardware device credentials. Your heirs won’t know how to use MetaMask or Trezor unless you explain it. A simple step-by-step guide—even a video or printed note—can save them months of confusion. Mention if you have staked tokens, locked liquidity, or hold NFTs in specific marketplaces. Those require different actions than just sending Bitcoin.

There’s no law that says you must leave your crypto to your kids. But if you don’t plan for it, your digital wealth could vanish—along with the years of research, risk, and effort you put into building it. The good news? Fixing this takes less than an hour. Write it down. Tell someone. Store it safely. And update it when you buy new tokens or change wallets. This isn’t about death. It’s about making sure your hard-earned crypto doesn’t die with you.

Below, you’ll find real guides, step-by-step checklists, and stories from people who’ve already navigated this. Whether you’re holding a few hundred dollars in ETH or millions in NFTs, these posts will help you protect what matters.