If the Bitkey wallet owner has died or passed away and you are their beneficiary, follow the steps below to start, file, open, begin, or initiate an inheritance claim in the Bitkey app.
An inheritance claim can only be initiated by a beneficiary with an Active status. If you're unsure of your status, see:
👉 How do I see if I successfully accepted my beneficiary invitation?
To initiate an inheritance claim:
- From the Home screen, tap the
settings icon
- Tap
Inheritance
- Go to the Benefactors tab and tap Manage next to your benefactor’s name
- Tap Start inheritance claim, then follow the on-screen instructions
- If you haven’t already set up critical alerts, you’ll be prompted to do so
- These alerts are required, as your claim may require action from you during the process
- Review the information screens, then confirm the claim
- Once submitted, you’ll see a confirmation screen with the message Inheritance claim submitted, along with the date your funds will become available. Tap Done to exit.
🛑 If you receive the message “Claim submission failed”, the claim could not be started.
Make sure your benefactor has completed their Inheritance setup and try again.
What happens next?
⚠️ Important: There is a mandatory six-month waiting period before funds can be transferred from your benefactor’s wallet to your own.
During this time:
- The funds remain in your benefactor’s wallet and under their control
- Bitkey will notify the benefactor that a claim has been started
- If the benefactor is still alive, they may decline and cancel the claim
- The claim can be canceled at any time during the waiting period
- Both parties will be notified if a cancellation occurs
- A canceled claim cannot be reinstated. You would need to initiate a new claim again
Need help during the process?
- To cancel a claim you’ve submitted, see:
👉 How do I cancel an inheritance claim? - To check claim status, see:
👉 How do I see the status of an inheritance claim? - To complete the claim after the waiting period, see:
👉 How do I complete an inheritance claim and transfer funds to my Bitkey wallet?