- Kresus launches cryptocurrency inheritance service for self-custody users.
- Users can pass cryptocurrencies to heirs without sharing private keys.
- The new tool aims to simplify digital asset legacy planning.
Kresus has launched a new inheritance planning service designed to help cryptocurrency investors securely transfer their digital assets to beneficiaries after death without sharing private keys or relying on complex recovery procedures.
The company said the new subscription-based service, called Kresus Inheritance, is integrated directly into its autonomous wallet and aims to address one of the biggest challenges facing cryptocurrency investors: ensuring digital assets can be passed across generations while maintaining user control during their lifetime.
The launch comes as ownership of cryptocurrencies continues to grow, while concerns persist over the long-term management and inheritance of self-allocated digital assets.
Kresus offers inheritance planning for cryptocurrency holders
Self-custodial gives users full control over their cryptocurrency holdings, but the supporting infrastructure available in traditional wealth management has not kept pace, Chrysos said.
According to the company, beneficiary designations, property transfer mechanisms, recovery paths, and long-term planning tools remain largely absent from the self-custody ecosystem.
Existing alternatives often require users to reveal sensitive information, such as writing seed phrases or sharing private keys, creating potential security risks.
“A lot of digital wealth has already been lost because there was no plan for what would happen next,” said Trevor Traina, founder and CEO of Kresus.
“Self-custody doesn’t have to mean your assets disappear if something happens to you. With Kresus Inheritance, we give users a safe and affordable way to protect their legacy and ensure the wealth they’ve built can be passed on to the next generation.”
The service is priced at $99.99 per year and is integrated into the Kresus wallet.
How does the inheritance service work?
Kresus Inheritance allows users to designate a beneficiary who can access the wallet owner’s cryptocurrency holdings only after a pre-defined period of inactivity has passed.
Private keys are never shared during the transfer process, allowing users to retain full control of their assets while they remain active, the company said.
Chrysos also stressed that it does not take care of clients’ assets.
The owner of the wallet remains in control unless a specified period of inactivity expires and the succession process is triggered.
According to the company, a user with $50,000 worth of Bitcoin can designate a spouse or adult child as a beneficiary without giving them access to the assets before a verified succession event occurs.
Cryptocurrency ownership grows as inheritance concerns persist
Chrysos cited a Harris Poll study that estimates that 55 million American adults, or 21% of the population, now own cryptocurrencies.
Meanwhile, the company pointed to research conducted by the Cremation Institute, which found that 89% of cryptocurrency investors are concerned about what happens to their digital assets after death.
Kresus Inheritance aims to address this concern by providing users with a built-in succession planning tool before it becomes necessary, the company said.
This launch also expands Kresus’ broader wallet platform, which the company said already serves millions of self-custodial wallet users through Kresus Wallet, widget experiences and enterprise solutions.
Chrysos said the new offering reflects its strategy of expanding beyond digital asset storage into a broader wealth management platform, where inheritance planning becomes part of the self-custody experience for cryptocurrency investors.
