What to do when a Coinbase account holder dies
Report the death to Coinbase's Executor Services at 1-888-908-7930
What happens to Coinbase accounts after the account holder dies depends on how each account was titled. Beneficiary-designated and trust-owned accounts transfer directly. Accounts in the deceased's name alone go through the estate, and the executor or administrator works with Coinbase's Executor Services (1-888-908-7930) to claim the funds.
Death claim process
Follow these steps to file a death claim with Coinbase:
Filing a claim
- Fill out the required fields in the form
- Select Generate verification code
- Follow the instructions on the form carefully to verify your request
- Coinbase says "once your request is verified, you will receive support for your case."
Required Documents
- Death certificateCoinbase asks for "the official death certificate."
- Probate documents for the deceased person's estateProbate, Letters Testamentary, Letters of Administration, Affidavit for Collection, or Small Estate Affidavit.
- Government-issued photo ID, for each person named in the probate documentsCoinbase asks for "a current, valid government-issued photo ID."
- Signed instruction letter, signed by the person or people named in the probate documentsDirects Coinbase to transfer the assets to the specified account, including its associated email address.
Claims Contact
Website: Online portal →
Forms Coinbase issues1
- Executor Services form
Completed online.1
What happens to each kind of account4
- Account in one name
Coinbase says it "doesn’t currently support naming a beneficiary for individual accounts" and that "estate planning documents or state intestate laws dictate the ownership transfer of a Coinbase account."1
- Crypto account
Staked assets "can not be traded or transferred until unstaking completes." Coinbase lists estimated unstaking waits from about 24 hours for Sui to about 10 days for Ethereum and about 25 days for Cosmos (ATOM); instant unstaking is offered for a fee and may not always be available.2
A vault’s 48-hour withdrawal delay and its owner cannot be changed after it is created, and "Coinbase Support is unable to bypass the waiting period on a vault withdrawal or move funds."3
A self-custody Coinbase Wallet is reached only with its 12-word recovery phrase or its encrypted iCloud or Google Drive backup and password: Coinbase "will never ask for or have access to your recovery phrase, so we can't move funds on your behalf or help you access your assets."4
- Loan
Coinbase Borrow collateral is held in a Morpho smart contract and is liquidated if the loan, with accrued interest, reaches 86% of the collateral's market value. Coinbase says it "cannot prevent your collateral from being liquidated on Morpho."5
- Investment account
Stocks in the Coinbase app are offered through Coinbase Capital Markets Corporation, with execution, clearing and custody by Apex Clearing Corporation. Coinbase says these securities services "are separate from digital asset services provided by Coinbase Inc."6
Accounts handled elsewhere2
- Coinbase Capital Markets Corporation
Stock trading in the Coinbase app, with Apex Clearing Corporation as carrying broker6
- Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC
Complaints about its virtual currency business as a New York limited purpose trust company7
Phone: 1-646-760-6195
Email: institutionalcomplaints@coinbase.com
Mailing address: 228 Park Ave S #23008, New York, NY 10003
What Coinbase's agreement and guidance say5
- What it does when notified
On legal documentation of a death, Coinbase "will freeze your Coinbase Account." No transactions may be completed until the fiduciary's new account has received the entire account, or Coinbase receives satisfactory proof the customer has not died.6
- How proceeds are paid
The designated fiduciary "will be required to open a new Coinbase Account in order to gain access to the contents of your Coinbase Account," and the entirety of the deceased person's account is transferred to it.6
- Wills, probate and small estates
If no fiduciary was designated, Coinbase may treat as fiduciary a person entitled to inherit, on documentation it deems sufficient, including a will, a living trust or a small estate affidavit, or it may require a court order designating a fiduciary.6
- Disputes between claimants
Where Coinbase considers the validity of a fiduciary designation uncertain, it may require a court order resolving it before taking any action on the account.6
- Dormant and unclaimed accounts
An inactive account's assets may be transferred to the unclaimed property office of the state associated with the account, and some states require Coinbase to convert crypto to US dollars. Escheated assets are reclaimed from that state office.8
Not in Coinbase's published guidance2
- A mailing address for claim documents
- How long a claim takes
Sources8
- 1.Claim a decedent’s Coinbase account
- 2.Earn rewards by staking
- 3.Vaults
- 4.Coinbase wallet recovery phrase
- 5.Crypto-Backed Loans
- 6.Individual User Agreement, Last updated: July 22, 2026
- 7.Licenses
- 8.Escheatment and unclaimed funds
Coinbase's Executor Services can be reached by phone at 1-888-908-7930 for questions throughout the claims process.
Sources
Data sourced from Coinbase primary sources (16 pages reviewed). How we research.
Coinbase death claims support
Executor Services
Phone
Website
Estate planning articles
Learn how to protect your Coinbase accounts and other assets with trusts, beneficiary designations, and estate planning documents.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Forms for Settling an Estate
Free forms for settling an estate: the probate petition, small estate affidavit, notice to creditors, inventory, and closing forms.
Digital Assets Recovery Letter
Prepare a letter requesting a deceased person's online accounts, points, and balances from the program that holds them.
Petition for Probate and Letters
Open probate and ask the court to appoint you and issue Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Notice to Creditors
Notify estate creditors and start the claim period — the published notice plus mailed copies for known creditors.
Renunciation of Executor
Decline an appointment as executor named in a will — the writing filed with the court before anyone is appointed.
Affidavit of Heirship
Prepare the sworn statement of a deceased person's family history and heirs for recording in the county land records, with your state's recording instructions.
Small Estate Affidavit
Collect a small estate's property without probate — the sworn affidavit presented to banks and other holders, with a presentation letter for each.
Tools for Settling an Estate
Free tools for settling an estate: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines, and inheritance taxes.
How Many Death Certificates Do I Need?
Calculate how many certified death certificates you need and see ordering info for your state.
Do I Need Probate?
Find out if an estate needs probate or qualifies for simplified procedures.
Do I Have to File Tax Returns for Someone Who Died?
Find out which tax returns need to be filed after someone dies and whether tax clearance is required.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Personalized plan for settling an estate after someone passes away.
What Do I Do When Someone Dies?
A step-by-step checklist for the days, weeks, and months after a death, with state rules noted where they apply.
How Much Are Estate & Inheritance Taxes?
Calculate federal estate tax, state estate tax, and inheritance tax for an estate.
