What happens to cryptocurrency when someone dies?
Last reviewed October 2026
HMRC treats cryptoassets as property, so they form part of the estate and count for probate and inheritance tax, valued at the date of death. Crypto held on an exchange, such as Coinbase or Kraken, can usually be claimed through the exchange's bereavement process with the death certificate and grant. Crypto held in a private wallet can only be reached with the keys or recovery phrase. Without those, it is usually lost for good. Look for hardware wallets, written recovery phrases and exchange emails.
Where to look
Emails from exchanges, bank transfers to exchanges, password managers, hardware wallets and paper notes with 12 or 24 words.
Frequently asked questions
How do I value crypto for probate?
Use the price at the date of death and keep a record of the source you used.
Can an exchange release crypto without probate?
Some release small amounts. Each exchange sets its own rules.
Continue in chat
Alenity walks you through this in plain English and gets you to the right next step.
Prepare your probate application