How to Claim Binance Assets After a Relative Passes Away

Binance

14 October 2026

Binance does have a specific process for this situation, called the Inheritance Appeal. But the core logic is "first prove you have the right to inherit, then talk about transferring assets"—not "show a death certificate and directly access the account." The official review period is 1 to 2 months, and complex cases may take longer.

Binance Exchange
The world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume,leading in security and liquidity.
New user benefit: Enjoy 20% off trading fees upon registration!

Before you start anything, one thing needs to be clear: you cannot directly log into the deceased person's account to operate it. Binance's inheritance process requires the applicant to have their own Binance account, and then file the appeal through your own account. This means you need to register a Binance account of your own first, if you don't already have one.

Where to Start the Application

After logging into your own Binance account, find the customer support entry. Under "Self-service," click "View All," then find the "Estate Inheritance" option under the "Account" category. Binance also provides a direct link to this feature, but going through the customer support menu is more intuitive and less likely to lead to mistakes.

What You Need to Submit

The application page will ask you to provide any one of the following: the deceased user's Binance ID, registered email, or phone number, along with all relevant materials and documents. The official FAQ does not list every required document on the page, but based on Binance.US's similar process and common industry practice, you will typically need to prepare:

Death certificate: A certified copy. Ordinary photos are usually not accepted; you need a color scan or a clear corner-to-corner photo.
Your own valid identification: A government-issued ID or passport.
Proof of inheritance rights: A will and/or court-issued estate administration documents (such as Letters Testamentary, Letters of Administration, small estate affidavits, etc.). Document names and requirements vary by jurisdiction, and which one you need depends on the laws where the deceased lived.
A video recording of your application method: Binance.US's process requires a selfie video explaining how you wish to receive the deceased's assets.

Here is a common sticking point: many people only have a death certificate and no will or court documents. If the deceased did not leave a will, the assets may first need to go through the local probate process, and a court must appoint an administrator before anything can be handled. This process itself can take weeks or even months. Binance's review time only starts after you have submitted complete documents.

What Happens After You Submit

After you click submit, Binance's dedicated team will review your application. The official wording is "reviewed as soon as possible," but the actual processing time reference given is about 1 to 2 months. If multiple jurisdictions are involved, there are disputes over inheritance rights, or documents need to be repeatedly supplemented, it will take longer.

After approval, the assets will be transferred to the legal beneficiary or trustee. Note this wording: the "legal beneficiary" is determined by the inheritance laws in your region, not by Binance's own decision. Binance's role is to verify that the inheritance documents you submitted are legally valid, and then execute the transfer.

Your Local Laws Are Decisive

Binance's Inheritance Appeal feature does not itself decide who has the right to inherit. It relies on the legal inheritance documents you provide to make that judgment. This means you first need to confirm whether you have inheritance rights under local law, and what documents are needed to prove it.

Materials from the American Bar Association (ABA) point out that a core problem with crypto assets in estate planning is that they may be treated as "tangible" or "intangible" personal property depending on how they are stored, and most will templates do not explicitly cover crypto assets. This means even if you have a will, it may not mention these assets at all. You need to consult a local estate lawyer to determine how to proceed.

If you are not in the United States, the rules may differ even more. Binance's English FAQ does not list specific requirements by region, and neither does the Chinese version. In practice, whether the inheritance documents you submit meet the standards accepted by Binance's review team depends largely on the legal validity of the documents themselves.

An Easily Overlooked Risk

An article on Binance Academy, written by a UK crypto lawyer, specifically warns: accessing a deceased person's account without authorization may constitute a criminal offense in some jurisdictions. The article cites the UK Computer Misuse Act 1990 as an example. This means the path of "I know the password, so I'll just log in and transfer the funds out" may carry legal risks, especially if the account holder's estate is being formally processed.

The correct path is to go through the Inheritance Appeal process and let the assets be transferred through the legal estate distribution procedure. This also explains why Binance insists that you have your own account and file a formal appeal, rather than simply letting you "operate the deceased's account."