Mapping the Chain of Custody

Every wallet has a story written across purchase receipts, transfer screenshots, email threads, and handwritten notes. Our ownership trail practice assembles these fragments into a single chronological record.

Researcher reviewing document archives

What an ownership trail includes

  • Purchase events — Exchange signups, OTC trades, ATM receipts, peer-to-peer transfers
  • Device transfers — When a hardware wallet changed hands between family members or partners
  • Storage changes — Moves from hot wallet to cold storage, paper to hardware, or safe deposit to home safe
  • Documentation gaps — Periods where no records exist, flagged for further investigation

Our Method

1. Document Collection

You provide everything: emails, chat logs, bank statements showing exchange transfers, photos of devices, and any written agreements mentioning digital assets.

2. Stakeholder Interviews

For multi-party cases, we interview each person separately. Statements are summarised in the dossier with the interviewee’s approval.

3. Chain Cross-Reference

Public blockchain data confirms when addresses received funds and whether they still hold balances. We map on-chain events to off-chain documents.

4. Dossier Assembly

The final deliverable is a dated timeline with source citations. Each entry links to a scanned document in the appendix.

When You Need This

  • Estate settlement with multiple heirs
  • Business dissolution involving shared cold storage
  • Divorce proceedings requiring asset documentation
  • Proving provenance of long-held addresses

Our Ownership Trail Audit is the full-service engagement. This page describes the methodology; the consultation page covers scope, pricing, and deliverables.

View Ownership Trail Audit Start a Case Brief

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