Template: Authorization Form to Disclose Cryptocurrency & Digital Wallet Holdings

Cryptocurrency does not show up on a bank statement. Digital wallets do not send mail. For trusts and estates attorneys, that means a decedent's Coinbase balance, hardware wallet, or forgotten exchange account is easy to miss. Once trading, transfers, or dormancy rules kick in, recovery gets harder. Exchanges and custodians will not release holdings on a phone call. They want written authority, court papers, and a clear request.

The form below is written from the fiduciary's perspective. Your client can sign it, or you can put it on firm letterhead and send it as counsel for the estate. Use it to request disclosure of cryptocurrency and digital wallet holdings from exchanges, brokers with crypto products, and other custodians. Below is guidance on when to use it, what to have on file, how custodial platforms differ from self-custody wallets, and how to follow up.

When to Use This Authorization

Send this authorization once your client has been appointed. Use it when you believe the decedent held crypto on a particular platform. Also use it when discovery points to an exchange or custodian. Clues can come from email, statements, password managers, tax forms, or other digital asset records. The form is most useful early in administration, when date-of-death values and an administrative hold matter most. A clear request lets you:

• Confirm whether the decedent held accounts, wallets, or balances with that custodian.
• Obtain date-of-death holdings and recent transaction history for the inventory, accounting, and any estate tax filing.
• Identify joint owners, authorized users, or recovery contacts that affect who controls the assets.
• Start the platform's estate or bereavement process for an in-kind transfer or liquidation to the estate.
• Document that the estate made a formal, dated demand for disclosure.

Custodial Exchanges vs. Self-Custody Wallets

Treat these as two different problems.

Custodial platforms (for example, Coinbase, Kraken, Gemini, and brokerage crypto products) hold assets for the user. The estate's path is a formal claim. You will need a death certificate, Letters, fiduciary ID, and a signed authorization like this one. Submit through the platform's executor, estate, or compliance channel. Do not log in with the decedent's credentials. That can violate terms of service and complicate recovery.

Self-custody wallets (hardware devices such as Ledger or Trezor, software wallets, or paper backups) are controlled by private keys or a seed phrase. No exchange letter will unlock them. If the keys or seed are lost, the assets are often gone for good. Never put private keys, seed phrases, or PINs in this form, in a will, or in any probate filing. Keep recovery instructions in a separate, secure inventory outside the public record. Store physical devices with the same care you would give bearer instruments.

This template is for custodians that can disclose records and process an estate claim. For self-custody, focus on locating devices, password managers, and any RUFADAA or planning documents that show where access materials were stored.

What to Have on File Before Sending

Platforms will not disclose holdings or transfer assets without proof of death and proof of authority. Before you send the authorization, confirm the matter file contains:

• A certified copy of the death certificate. Send a copy, never the original. Some platforms require a color scan.
• Certified Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration. Or the small-estate affidavit or court order your jurisdiction allows.
• The fiduciary's government-issued photo ID. Nearly every exchange asks for this.
• Account identifiers, if known. Email address, username, user ID, or public wallet address. These help, but they are not always required. The decedent's legal name and Social Security number may be enough for the custodian to search.
• Any will, trust, or court language that expressly covers digital assets, if you have it. This is not a substitute for Letters. It can help when a platform asks for user consent under RUFADAA or similar law.

How to Use the Template

1. Replace every bracketed field (for example, [Exchange / Custodian / Platform Name] and [Date of Death]) with the matter-specific details.
2. Confirm the capacity line matches your client's appointment. Decide whether the fiduciary signs, or whether you send it as counsel on firm letterhead.
3. Enclose certified copies of the supporting documents, never originals. Use the platform's preferred estate or bereavement submission method when one exists.
4. Send by a trackable method when mailing. Keep a complete copy in the estate file. Calendar a follow-up so the request does not stall while market prices move.

[Your Full Name]
[Your Mailing Address]
[City, State ZIP Code]
[Email Address]
[Phone Number]

[Date]

[Exchange / Custodian / Platform Name]
Estate / Deceased Account Services
[Mailing Address or Secure Submission Channel]
[City, State ZIP Code]

Re: Authorization and Request to Disclose Cryptocurrency and Digital Wallet Holdings
Estate of [Decedent's Full Legal Name]
Date of Death: [Date of Death]
Social Security Number: [Decedent's SSN]
Account Email / Username (if known): [Account Email or Username]
Account / User ID (if known): [Account or User ID]
Known Wallet Address(es) (if any): [Public Wallet Address(es)]

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing as the [Executor / Administrator / Personal Representative / Attorney for the Estate] of the Estate of [Decedent's Full Legal Name], who passed away on [Date of Death]. The fiduciary was appointed by the [County] [Probate / Surrogate's] Court in [State]. Copies of the supporting documents are enclosed.

I have authority to collect and inventory the estate's assets. I authorize and request that you disclose the decedent's cryptocurrency and other digital assets held on your platform. This includes any associated digital wallets under your custody or control.

Specifically, I request the following information, to the extent available:

1. Confirmation of whether the decedent held any accounts, wallets, or balances with your institution (open, closed, restricted, or pending).
2. The account title, account or user ID, registered email address, and any linked public wallet addresses.
3. A complete list of holdings as of the date of death ([Date of Death]), including asset type, quantity, and fair market value.
4. Transaction history for the twelve (12) months before the date of death, and from the date of death to the present.
5. The names of any joint owners, authorized users, beneficiaries, trust designations, or recovery contacts.
6. Instructions for placing an administrative hold on the account while the estate claim is pending.
7. Your requirements to transfer assets in kind to an estate-controlled wallet or account, or to liquidate the assets and send the proceeds to the estate.

This authorization supports the estate's request for disclosure under applicable state fiduciary and digital-asset law, including the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (or any similar state law), and under applicable federal law. Do not disclose private keys, seed phrases, or recovery credentials in your response. Please provide account records and transfer instructions through your estate or bereavement process.

Enclosed please find the following documents in support of this request:

- Certified copy of the death certificate
- Certified copy of the Letters Testamentary / Letters of Administration
- Copy of my government-issued photo identification
- [Copy of any will, trust, or court order authorizing digital-asset access, if available]
- [Any additional documents required by your institution]

Please send all correspondence to the address, email, and phone number listed above. If you need more information to process this request, contact me at your earliest convenience.

Thank you for your prompt attention. I look forward to your response within [number] business days.

Sincerely,


_______________________________
[Your Full Name]
[Executor / Administrator / Personal Representative / Attorney for the Estate]
Estate of [Decedent's Full Legal Name]
[Law Firm Name, if applicable]

Enclosures

After You Send: Holds, Valuation, and Transfer

Once the platform opens an estate case, ask for an administrative hold. That keeps balances from moving while documents are under review. Value holdings as of the date of death using a reputable exchange or pricing source. Keep a written log of every ticket number, contact, and document sent.

When the custodian is ready to release assets, follow its instructions. You may transfer assets in kind to an estate-controlled wallet or account. Or you may liquidate and send the proceeds to the estate bank account. Confirm wiring or wallet details carefully. Crypto transfers are generally irreversible. Close or memorialize the decedent's account only after the estate has received the assets and you no longer need statements for the accounting.

Simplify Estate Discovery for Your Firm

An authorization works when you already know which exchange or custodian to contact. Clients rarely hand you a complete list of crypto accounts. Self-custody wallets leave almost no paper trail. Heirloom searches more than 120 billion public and private records across 6,000+ databases to surface financial and digital footprints that point to those holdings. Your firm can then send requests to the right platforms, catch missed assets, and close matters faster. Schedule a demo to see how it fits into your estate administration workflow.

Heirloom is not a law firm and cannot provide legal advice. This content is for informational purposes only. Heirloom can only provide self-help services at users' specific direction. Requirements vary by platform and state. Confirm each custodian's current estate or bereavement process before sending. Never include private keys, seed phrases, or passwords in this form or in any public filing.