What happens to your Uphold accounts when you die
Covers 3 crypto, 1 investment, and 2 deposit accounts — all transfer through probate
Customer Support (Help Center ticket queue)
Uphold HQ, Inc., 90 New Montgomery Street, Suite 412, San Francisco, CA 94105
Customer Support (Help Center ticket queue)
Uphold HQ, Inc., 90 New Montgomery Street, Suite 412, San Francisco, CA 94105
Compliance (estate and fiduciary inquiries) — no dedicated estate unit; matters run through the support ticket queue
Uphold HQ, Inc., 90 New Montgomery Street, Suite 412, San Francisco, CA 94105
Uphold does not currently support beneficiary designations, transfer-on-death registrations, or trust account titling on any account type. All Uphold accounts pass through the estate at death and may require probate.
When an account holder dies, the executor or administrator will need to contact Uphold with a death certificate and legal authority documents to claim account balances. The process and required documents are covered on the death claim page.
Uphold does not currently support beneficiary designations (POD or TOD) on any account type. All accounts transfer through the estate at death and may require probate.
Why trust accounts are not available
Uphold does not support retitling accounts into a trust, naming a trust as beneficiary, or any other probate-avoidance mechanism. Account balances transfer through the estate at death. Uphold's business account is designed primarily for companies, self-directed IRAs, and gig-economy platforms, not specifically for revocable living trusts. Trust eligibility is not publicly documented and requires confirmation from customer support before applying. The $2,500 minimum deposit requirement applies to all business accounts. Enterprise and partnership inquiries can also be directed to partners@uphold.com (per the Uphold contact page). A trust that does hold an Uphold business account should keep the login credentials and two-factor device documented for the successor trustee: Uphold has no beneficiary designation and no branch to walk into, so a successor trustee's only route to a locked-out account is the Help Center ticket queue.
USD Interest Account
Cash is swept into unaffiliated bank deposit accounts through Atomic Brokerage LLC (FINRA/SIPC member). FDIC-insured up to $2.5 million via program banks (funds spread across up to 10 banks). Separate from crypto holdings. Earns up to 3.75% APY (2% on balances under $10). No beneficiary designation available through Uphold; account follows standard estate transfer rules.
Uphold Debit Card
Visa debit card issued by Cross River Bank, Member FDIC, to spend crypto, stablecoins, and USD directly from the Uphold account. Available in two tiers: Essential (no annual fee, 1.5% foreign transaction fee, $2.95 per ATM withdrawal) and Elite ($99.99/year, no foreign transaction or ATM fees worldwide). Elite earns up to 4% XRP back on crypto/metals-funded purchases and 3% XRP back on fiat/stablecoin-funded purchases (capped at $300/month). Essential earns 2% XRP back capped at $120/month. Rewards calculated at month-end and posted within 10 business days. Supports Apple Pay and Google Pay. Cardholders earn up to 3% APY on stablecoin balances. No credit check required. Card is linked to the Uphold account and follows the same estate transfer rules.
Sources
Data sourced from Uphold primary sources (19 pages reviewed). How we research.
Download these Uphold instructions
Download instructions for the whole estateA printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Uphold primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.
Customer Support (Help Center ticket queue)
Uphold HQ, Inc., 90 New Montgomery Street, Suite 412, San Francisco, CA 94105
Customer Support (Help Center ticket queue)
Uphold HQ, Inc., 90 New Montgomery Street, Suite 412, San Francisco, CA 94105
Compliance (estate and fiduciary inquiries) — no dedicated estate unit; matters run through the support ticket queue
Uphold HQ, Inc., 90 New Montgomery Street, Suite 412, San Francisco, CA 94105
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