What to do when an Uphold account holder dies
Report the death to Uphold at 1-888-821-0966
What happens to Uphold 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 Uphold to claim the funds.
Gather the account holder's full name, date of birth, and any known account or policy numbers before contacting Uphold.
Death claim process
To file a claim after an account holder's death, here is what Uphold requires:
Filing a claim
- Submit a request through the Uphold Help Center webform, which can be used without logging in.
- California residents can call 1-888-831-1780, Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific Time, excluding U.S. federal holidays.
- Uphold commits to responding to a request within 24 hours and generally replies in less than 12 hours.
- Open an Uphold account describes sign-up and identity verification.
Required Documents
- Legal documentation confirming the deathThe User Agreement asks for "legal documentation confirming your death" and "proof satisfactory to us that you have died".
- Will or similar testamentary document designating the Fiduciary, where the owner designated a Fiduciary
- The documentation Uphold asks for, where no Fiduciary was designatedUphold says it may include "a will, a living trust or a Small Estate Affidavit".
- Court order designating the Fiduciary, where no Fiduciary was designated and Uphold requires one
- Information Uphold requires to open the Fiduciary's new Uphold account
- Official documentation, such as a death certificate or a relevant court order, for a Vault Inheritance claimUphold's operations and legal teams review the documents.
What happens to each kind of account1
- Crypto account
Vault Inheritance lets an Uphold Vault owner name a beneficiary to receive their Vault assets. While the owner is active on Uphold, the system blocks any inheritance claim, and nothing moves until Uphold verifies a claim.1
The Vault beneficiary needs an active Uphold account with completed identity verification to accept the invitation. Once Uphold verifies the claim, the beneficiary completes it with their inheritance key and Uphold countersigns it to move the eligible assets to their account.1
State requirements Uphold statesNew York, Louisiana
What Uphold's agreement and guidance say3
- What it does when notified
Once Uphold receives legal documentation confirming the death, or other information leading it to believe the owner has died, it freezes the account. No transactions may be completed until the Fiduciary has opened a new account and the entire account has been transferred to it.3
Where Uphold has reason to believe the owner may have died but has no proof in a form satisfactory to it, the User Agreement authorizes it to make inquiries, directly or through third parties, to find out whether the owner has died.3
- Wills, probate and small estates
If no Fiduciary was designated, Uphold reserves the right to treat as Fiduciary any person entitled to inherit the account, based on the documentation it deems necessary, or to require an order designating a Fiduciary from a court with jurisdiction over the estate.3
Where Uphold considers the validity of the Fiduciary designation uncertain, it reserves the right to require a court order resolving the issue before acting on the account.3
- Dormant and unclaimed accounts
The User Agreement says funds in an account with no logins "for more than a period of time fixed by applicable law" may have to be reported as unclaimed property. Uphold first tries to reach the owner by email and at the address on record, and otherwise the funds may be surrendered to the state.3
Uphold's Help Center says funds are transferred to the owner's last known state of residence after a period "typically 3 to 5 years" without a login. Escheated funds can be recovered by applying through that state's unclaimed property program.4
Not in Uphold's published guidance5
- A department for deceased-customer accounts
- A claim form
- Whether the death certificate must be certified
- A mailing address for claim documents
- How long a claim takes
Sources4
- 1.Vault Inheritance
- 2.Is my location supported?
- 3.User Agreement for U.S. and Canadian Residents and Businesses, Last updated Aug 20, 2026
- 4.Unclaimed funds and escheatment
Sources
Data sourced from Uphold primary sources (31 pages reviewed). How we research.
Uphold death claims support
Customer Support
Phone
Live support, California residents only
Uphold Visa Card customer service
Mailing address
Website
Death notifications go through general customer service.
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