When an inheritance claim is initiated, you’ll see a banner on the Bitkey app Home screen showing your claim status and the date the waiting period ends.
If that banner is not visible or you want more detail, follow the steps below based on your role.
If you are a beneficiary
- From the Bitkey app Home screen, tap the
settings icon
- Tap
Inheritance
- Go to the Benefactors tab
You may see a blue banner with one of the following messages:
- Inheritance claim pending – Funds available [date]
- Claim approved – Transfer funds now
If there’s no banner:
- Look for your benefactor’s name in the list
- If their name is missing, there's no current relationship or active claim
👉 See Why did the name of my beneficiary / benefactor disappear?
Status meanings:
- Active – No claim has been initiated
-
Claim pending – A claim is in progress and the 6-month waiting period is underway
👉 To cancel, see How do I cancel an inheritance claim? -
Claim approved – The waiting period has ended, and the encrypted App Key has been shared with your wallet
👉 To complete the process, see How do I complete an inheritance claim and transfer the funds to my Bitkey wallet?
👉 Once you’ve transferred the funds, see How do I stop being a beneficiary?
If you are a benefactor
- From the Bitkey app Home screen, tap the
- Tap
Inheritance
- Go to the Beneficiaries tab
You may see a red banner with one of the following messages:
- Inheritance claim initiated – Decline claim by [date] to retain control of your funds
- Inheritance approved – To retain control of your funds, transfer them to a new wallet
If there’s no banner:
- Look for your beneficiary’s name in the list
- If their name is missing, there's no current relationship or active claim
👉 See Why did the name of my beneficiary / benefactor disappear?
Status meanings:
- Active – No claim has been initiated
-
Claim pending – A claim is in progress and you still have time to decline it
👉 To cancel, see How do I cancel an inheritance claim? - Claim approved – The waiting period has ended, and your encrypted App Key has been shared with the beneficiary
If your wallet still contains funds, we recommend taking immediate action:
👉 See The inheritance claim has been approved. How do I retain control of my funds?
If your wallet no longer contains funds, it means your beneficiary has already initiated the transfer.
At that point, the claim cannot be canceled. We strongly recommend setting up a new wallet, as your encrypted App Key has been shared.
👉 See How do I set up a new Bitkey wallet if I already have an existing one?