Crypto estate documents explained

Paperwork is the part of an estate that worries people most, partly because the documents have different names in every country. This page is a plain-language guide: what each document is, who drafts or issues it, and when it is relevant. It is not a list you must collect; it is a reference you consult when a person or platform asks for something.

The document table

Document	What it is	Who drafts or issues it	When it is relevant
Death certificate	Official record of the death	The civil registrar or equivalent in the country of death	From day one: many platforms and institutions ask for it; which documents are needed depends on the action and the platform
Will / testament	A disposition on death	Drafted by the deceased; form and validity follow the statutory requirements of the applicable law, if unsure confirmed by a qualified professional	When it exists; it can regulate the succession within the limits of the applicable law. Have its validity and effect confirmed by a professional
Certificate of inheritance / probate / local equivalent	Establishes heir status or a specific appointment	A court or notary, depending on the country	Depending on the situation and the institution; not automatically a general power of administration
Heirship certificate	Proof of who the heirs are	A notary or court, in countries that use it	When institutions require proof of entitlement rather than an executor’s authority
Executor appointment document	Appointment in the will; in some jurisdictions a court or other authority may appoint a similar representative. The role must first be accepted, and a certificate of executorship can evidence the position towards third parties.	The will (appointment); in some jurisdictions a court or other authority may be involved for a similar role; acceptance; certificate of executorship	When the executor or similar representative acts: opening accounts, contacting platforms, managing assets within the relevant authority
Estate inventory	The list of assets and their locations	Built by the executor, administrator or heirs	Early, and kept updated; it is the backbone of every later step
Bank and exchange statements	Records of accounts and transactions	The banks and platforms themselves	To substantiate transactions, relationships with platforms and any available account or balance data. A bank transfer to an exchange does not by itself prove an account in the deceased person’s name.
Tax returns after a death / inheritance-tax declaration	Declarations that may be needed after a death, such as the deceased’s income tax and inheritance tax	Who files the declaration depends on the type of declaration and the situation. Check the current official instructions for your country or ask a tax adviser/notary	When a declaration is due; follow the deadline and instructions of the relevant authority
Exchange forms or claim procedure	The procedure by which the platform handles the estate claim	The platform concerned	When you contact a platform; some platforms have a specific form, with others the request goes through support. The documents required differ per platform and situation
Identity documents	Proof of who the applicant is	Government-issued	For most official steps
Powers of attorney	Authority granted by the principal to an attorney-in-fact; can be drawn up privately or notarised. Whether a private power of attorney is sufficient depends on the act and the institution; some acts may require a notarial power of attorney.	The principal; with a notarial power of attorney, the notary records it in a notarial deed	Check separately which powers the power of attorney grants and whether it is accepted for the act in question. After a death, also check whether and what effect the power of attorney still has
Chain-of-custody log	Who handled which device or document, and when	Kept by the estate itself	From the first day; it protects the estate against disputes

How the documents relate

The documents form a sequence rather than a pile:

1. The death certificate is a frequently requested base document in formal estate and provider procedures; which documents are needed when varies by institution, provider, action and jurisdiction. Preservation and inventory steps can meanwhile be relevant independently.
2. The authority document (probate, letters of administration, certificate of inheritance or the local equivalent) can establish heir status or a specific appointment; it does not automatically make one person the sole administrator of the estate. Which legal meaning and scope an authority document has depends on the applicable law and the content of the document. An institution can additionally determine, for its own procedure, which evidence it requires or accepts. A notary or legal adviser can help assess what the document means in the specific situation. Depending on the action and the platform, transfers or closures may only happen after authority is established; which proof is needed varies by situation. If in doubt about who may act, ask the local professional handling the estate.
3. The inventory and statements describe what exists, so the estate can be valued and reported.
4. Platform forms and tax declarations complete each individual process.

If you are told you need a document you have never heard of, the first question is always: who issues it in this country, and which authority recognises it? Names differ (“probate”, “letters of administration”, “certificate of inheritance”, “Erbschein”, “certificat d’hérédité”) and the issuer, function, evidentiary value and scope also differ by jurisdiction; do not treat documents from different countries as automatically equivalent, and check which evidence the relevant action or institution requires.

What you do not need

• No passwords, seed phrases or private keys, an official estate process does not ask for them in a document. For specialist technical recovery, specific material may be needed, but only through a previously agreed written, secure process.
• No notarised copies of everything, only what each institution explicitly asks for.
• No documents in a language the institution does not accept, check whether official translations are required before paying for them.

Where to keep the file

• Keep the original documents safe. Check with each institution whether it needs an original, a plain copy, a scan or a certified copy.
• Keep the inventory and statements with the estate file.
• Do not keep seed phrases, private keys or passwords in the document file. The file can contain sensitive financial and personal information. Therefore only share the documents and details that the professional concerned needs for their task.

Next steps

For how to build the inventory itself, continue to crypto estate inventory. For who acts when, see the executor’s guide to a crypto estate and legal authority vs technical access.

Rules and deadlines can change, and this page may not yet reflect the latest position, have the current rules confirmed by a local lawyer, notary or tax adviser before acting. Spotted something that no longer matches? Contact us and we will correct it.