What Happens to a Binance Account When the Owner Dies?

Binance

03 October 2026

Binance has an official "Inheritance Appeal" feature for this situation. Family members first need to have their own Binance account, then submit an appeal through the customer service page. After reviewing the inheritance documents, Binance will transfer the assets to the legal heir's or trustee's account.

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Who Can Apply and What to Prepare

The heir needs to provide the deceased person's identity information (email, phone number, or Binance ID — any one of these), along with three core types of documents: a death certificate, the heir's identity document, and a legal document proving inheritance rights (a will, a notarized inheritance certificate, or a court judgment). These documents usually need to be notarized or certified by a lawyer, and accompanied by an English translation.

How to Submit the Request

Log in to your own Binance account, go to the customer service center, and under "Self-service" find the inheritance entry (or "Legacy Inheritance") in the "Account" category. Fill in the deceased person's information, upload the documents, and submit. Binance has a dedicated team to review these cases. It usually takes 1 to 2 months to complete, though complex cases may take longer.

What If You Don't Know the Account Information

For many families, the first obstacle is not the paperwork — it's not knowing whether the deceased had a Binance account or what email was used. Binance previously launched an "Emergency Contact" feature. Users can add an emergency contact in the App's security settings. When an account remains inactive for a long time, Binance will notify the emergency contact, who can then start the inheritance application process. However, if the deceased never set up an emergency contact, family members can only try to file an appeal using a known email address or phone number.

What If There Is No Will?

Not having a will does not mean inheritance is impossible. You can obtain a notarized inheritance certificate through a notary office to prove legal inheritance rights. This requires documents such as a death certificate, proof of family relationship, and the deceased person's personnel records. If heirs have disputes over distribution, they need to obtain a legally effective court judgment through litigation. A court judgment can also be submitted to Binance as proof of inheritance rights.

Key Risk: Do Not Try to Log In Without Authorization

Accessing a deceased person's account without authorization may constitute a criminal offense in some jurisdictions. The correct approach is to go through the official appeal channel rather than trying to guess passwords or bypass verification. Also, Binance.US is a separate entity from Binance's global platform and has its own specific requirements (including a selfie video stating how the transfer should be handled). This applies to US users — do not confuse the two.