When someone dies with crypto in an app or exchange, the platform's own process decides how the family gets it. This table puts those processes side by side. Each row links to a full guide with the platform's exact wording and sources, and the whole table is available as a CSV file.
Download: crypto death claims by platform (CSV). Free to reuse with a link to this page.
How to start a claim, and the documents
| Platform | How to start | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| Coinbase | Executor Services form, submitted from the claimant's own Coinbase account | Death certificate; probate, letters or small-estate affidavit; ID of the named person; signed letter naming the destination account |
| Robinhood | Estates form on Robinhood's support site | Death certificate photo; claimant's ID; then proof of authority as the estates team requests |
| Kraken | Deceased client claim form | Color image of official death certificate (no funeral home copies); probate or letters of administration; representative's photo ID; signed, dated letter |
| Gemini | Gemini's official Contact Us support request form | No published list |
| Crypto.com | In-app chat or chat.crypto.com | No published list |
| Binance | Inheritance Appeal (Legacy Inheritance) in self-service support; claimant needs a Binance account | Legally valid inheritance documents |
| Binance.US | Contact Binance.US support | Selfie video; death certificate; claimant's ID; will or probate documents, including small estate affidavits |
| Cash App | Call Cash App Support for Estate Services | Death certificate; claimant's U.S. ID with selfie; small estate affidavit or letters appointing an executor |
| PayPal | Executor emails deceasedaccounts@paypal.com or writes to PayPal | Cover sheet; death certificate; photo ID; will or executor documents; IRS Form W-9 for the estate |
| Venmo | Venmo Support in the app (Get Help > Chat) or Contact Us | Death certificate; with a balance, also ID, proof of address, estate authority and W-9 |
| Fidelity Crypto | Fidelity's online report-a-death form (no death certificate needed to start) | Reregistration form; death certificate; state tax waiver if required; Letters of Appointment or small estate affidavit |
| Charles Schwab | notification.schwab.com or Estate Services 877-566-2284 | Certified death certificates; Letters Testamentary or Administration dated within 12 months; estate EIN; tax waivers if needed |
| Webull | support@webull.com or the in-app Support Hub | Death certificate; estate letter or small estate affidavit; executor's ID |
| Strike | Written notice to Strike (support@strike.me or in-app) | Not published; Strike may request papers or waivers |
| Self-custody wallets (MetaMask, Ledger, Trezor, Trust Wallet, Exodus, Coinbase Wallet) | No company process; the vendor cannot recover the wallet | None; the recovery phrase (and any passphrase or backup password) restores the wallet |
Beneficiaries, crypto handling and timelines
| Platform | Beneficiary option | Crypto handling | Published timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coinbase | No | Transferred to the account named in the signed letter | Not published |
| Robinhood | TOD for stocks in individual investing accounts; IRA beneficiaries | Goes to the estate, not to TOD beneficiaries | Not published |
| Kraken | No | Released to the estate's legal representative | Not published |
| Gemini | No | Passes through the estate | Not published |
| Crypto.com | IRA accounts only | Not stated | Not published |
| Binance | Not offered | Transferred to the rightful beneficiary or trustee | Usually 1–2 months |
| Binance.US | Not offered | Not stated | Not published |
| Cash App | Stock investing account only, set via support | Bitcoin goes through the estate process; ask whether it is sent or sold | Not published |
| PayPal | No | Must be sold or transferred before a crypto account closes; ask first | Not published |
| Venmo | No | Must be sold or transferred before a crypto account closes; ask first | Not published |
| Fidelity Crypto | No for Fidelity Crypto; Crypto IRA follows the brokerage IRA's beneficiaries | Regular account: not stated. Crypto IRA: liquidated for non-spouse heirs | Several weeks |
| Charles Schwab | TOD on Schwab One brokerage; Schwab Crypto: none yet | Schwab may hold Schwab Crypto assets until the successor is known | Death certificate verified in about 5 business days; transfers a few weeks |
| Webull | IRAs; Webull's pages conflict on individual accounts | Not stated | Several weeks |
| Strike | Not stated | Strike may close the account and liquidate bitcoin balances | Not published |
| Self-custody wallets (MetaMask, Ledger, Trezor, Trust Wallet, Exodus, Coinbase Wallet) | No | Whoever has the recovery phrase controls it | Not applicable |
"Not published" means the platform's help pages don't give that detail. It doesn't mean there is no process; ask the platform and keep the answer in writing.
What almost every platform asks for
Across the platforms above, a claim usually needs four things:
- A death certificate. Some want a certified copy; Kraken wants a color image and rejects funeral home certificates.
- Proof of authority over the estate. Letters testamentary or letters of administration from a court, or a small estate affidavit where state law allows it. Schwab asks for letters dated within 12 months.
- The claimant's government photo ID. Cash App and Binance.US also ask for a selfie or selfie video.
- Instructions. Where to send the assets, often in a signed letter. Coinbase and Binance ask the claimant to have their own account on the platform.
Estate accounts at brokerages (Fidelity, Schwab) also need an EIN for the estate, and PayPal and Venmo ask for an IRS Form W-9 for the estate.
Beneficiaries rarely cover crypto
Transfer-on-death (TOD) designations are common for brokerage accounts but rare for crypto. Robinhood, Schwab, Webull and Fidelity offer TOD on some investing accounts, yet Robinhood says crypto goes to the estate, and Fidelity and Schwab say their crypto accounts can't have beneficiaries. Crypto IRAs are the exception, because retirement accounts always carry beneficiary designations. See which apps let you name a beneficiary.
Sold or transferred?
Platforms differ on whether heirs receive crypto or cash. Coinbase transfers assets to the account named in the claimant's letter. Fidelity's Crypto IRA liquidates crypto for non-spouse heirs. Strike's terms allow it to liquidate bitcoin balances. PayPal and Venmo require crypto to be sold or transferred before a crypto account closes. If it matters for taxes or the estate, ask before sending documents. See inherited crypto taxes and step-up basis.
Self-custody wallets are different
MetaMask, Ledger, Trezor, Trust Wallet, Exodus and Coinbase Wallet have no deceased-user process, because there is no account to claim. Each vendor says it cannot recover a wallet. The recovery phrase, plus any passphrase or backup password, is the only route. See what to do if the seed phrase is missing and the wallet guides for MetaMask, Ledger, Trezor, Trust Wallet, Exodus and Coinbase Wallet.
How this table is maintained
Each row comes from the platform's own help pages, terms or forms, listed in the linked guide and in the CSV's source column, with the date it was last checked. Platform rules change, so confirm the current process with the platform before relying on any row. Corrections are welcome at info@pingvaults.com.
Common questions
What documents do I need to claim a crypto account after someone dies?
Usually a death certificate, proof of authority over the estate (letters testamentary, letters of administration or a small estate affidavit), your photo ID and signed instructions. Some platforms add a selfie, an estate EIN or an IRS Form W-9.
Which crypto exchanges let you name a beneficiary?
For regular crypto holdings, none of the platforms in this table. Robinhood, Schwab, Webull and Fidelity offer TOD on some investing accounts, but not for crypto. Crypto IRAs follow their beneficiary forms.
How long does a crypto estate claim take?
Most platforms don't publish a timeline. Binance says usually one to two months; Schwab says most transfers finish in a few weeks; Fidelity and Webull say several weeks.
Can heirs get crypto from a self-custody wallet without the seed phrase?
No. Wallet makers say they cannot recover wallets. Without the recovery phrase, or a working device and its PIN or password, the funds can't be moved.
Can I reuse this table?
Yes. The CSV is free to reuse with a link back to this page. Check the date in each row, since platform rules change.