Traders Union research: Only a third of investors have made inheritance arrangements
Most crypto investors want to leave their digital assets to family members or loved ones. But Traders Union research shows that many have not prepared a clear way to pass those assets on to their heirs.
In the study “Who Would Get Your Crypto If You Died?”, Traders Union analysts surveyed 1,250 cryptocurrency holders from North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. The results showed that 71% of respondents would like their digital assets to go to a spouse, partner, children or other family members. However, only 32% have prepared clear instructions or another arrangement that would help heirs locate the assets and gain access to them.
Even fewer investors are confident that their heirs could manage without assistance. Only 24% believe their chosen beneficiary would be able to access most of their cryptocurrency independently. Another 23% expect help from an exchange or another service provider, while 16% would rely on another trusted person.
They know the crypto exists, but not how to access it
One of the main problems is that heirs may know digital assets exist but have no instructions on how to access them. Among respondents, 27% said someone close to them knows they own cryptocurrency but does not know how to gain access to it. Another 16% have shared only partial information about their holdings.
For 18% of investors, the situation is even more complicated: nobody else has enough information to even locate their cryptocurrency. With self-custody wallets, access may depend on private keys or recovery phrases, while assets held on exchanges may depend on the procedures of a particular platform and the heir’s documentation.
Losing access keys is the biggest concern
The biggest risk identified by respondents was losing access to wallets, private keys or recovery phrases. This was the main concern for 29% of participants. Another 17% worry that heirs may simply be unaware of some digital assets, while 15% see a lack of technical knowledge among beneficiaries as the main problem.
At the same time, preparing for inheritance can create additional risks of its own. Another 10% are most concerned that sharing access information in advance could increase the risk of theft. Traders Union notes that the challenge is not simply to pass on a private key, but to balance accessibility for heirs with the security of the assets.
Crypto rarely appears in wills
Only 18% of respondents have formally included cryptocurrency or other digital assets in a will, trust or another estate-planning arrangement. Another 21% have an estate plan, but it does not cover cryptocurrency. A further 45% have no formal estate plan at all.
Legal entitlement to digital assets does not always mean they can actually be recovered. Traders Union notes that heirs need not only to prove their right to the assets, but also to know where they are held and how to access them. This is especially important with cryptocurrency, as losing access data for a self-custody wallet can make the funds inaccessible even to a lawful heir.
Earlier Traders Union research found that traders overestimate their understanding of leverage.
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