What to do when a Kraken account holder dies
Report the death to Kraken's Compliance & Legal
When an account holder at Kraken passes away, the next step depends on how the accounts were set up. Accounts with beneficiary designations or trust ownership transfer outside of probate. Accounts titled solely in the deceased's name require the estate's legal representative to work with Kraken's Compliance & Legal to access and distribute the funds.
The claim process begins with a phone call to the institution. Have the account holder's full name, account numbers, and the death certificate available when making initial contact.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Kraken requires:
Filing a claim
- Kraken web: the profile icon, then Account
- Kraken app: Profile, then your name
- Kraken Pro: Account Details
- Krak app: Account Details
- Decedent Information: account email or Public Account ID, full name, date of birth, date of death and country of residence
- Claimant information: your full name, country of residence, relationship to the deceased person, jurisdiction, your court-appointed role and its list of requirements
- A free-text field: "Tell us about your request. The more detail the better."
Required Documents
- Death certificateA complete color image of the official document. Kraken does not accept certificates issued by funeral homes.
- Legal documentation appointing you as legal representative of the estateKraken names probate or letters of administration.
- Government-issued photo ID, for each person named as legal representativeA current and valid color copy.
- Signed and dated letter from the legal representative, from the person or people identified in the legal documentationConfirms the account holder is deceased and identifies the signer as the legal personal representative.
- Additional documents, if Kraken's Compliance team asks for them after the claim is submitted
Claims Contact
Website: Online portal →
Forms Kraken issues1
- Compliance & Legal form ("Deceased Client Account Claim")
Completed by the legal representative. Completed online.1
What happens to each kind of account3
- Account in one name
Kraken "doesn't currently offer the option to add a beneficiary to an account," so every individual account settles through the estate. Kraken will not release an individual account without documentation appointing a representative.2
- Loan
A Flexline loan keeps running after the death. At maturity Kraken automatically withdraws the amount owing from the main wallet, converting other assets if the loan currency is short, and collateral can be liquidated if its value falls below margin-call levels.3
- Crypto account
Kraken Wallet is self-custody and is not part of the exchange account. Kraken states that without its 12-word Secret Recovery Phrase there is no way to recover it.2
Not in Kraken's published guidance2
- How long a claim takes
- An email address for claim documents
Sources3
- 1.Compliance & Legal
- 2.Deceased Client Account Claims, last published 2026-03-17
- 3.Flexline terms
Sources
Data sourced from Kraken primary sources (30 pages reviewed). How we research.
Kraken death claims support
Compliance & Legal (Deceased Client Account Claim)
Hours
Website
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