You’ve planned for:
Bank accounts
Mutual funds
Insurance
Property
Maybe even written a Will.
But what about this?
Your Gmail
Your Instagram
Your cloud photos
Your crypto wallet
Who gets access to these after you?
Pause for a moment.
Most people don’t have an answer.
The Shift We Haven’t Fully Understood Yet
Ten years ago, inheritance was simple.
Jewellery
Property papers
Bank balances
Everything was visible, physical, and documented.
Today?
Your life is scattered across:
Emails
Apps
Social media
Investment platforms
Digital wallets
And in many cases…
Your digital assets may be more valuable than your physical ones.
The Problem Is Not Ownership. It’s Access.
Indian law works reasonably well for:
—> Property
—> Bank accounts
—> Financial investments
But digital assets?
Still evolving.
Which creates a strange situation.
₹50 lakh in mutual funds → accessible with process
₹20 lakh in crypto → completely inaccessible without keys
Same wealth.
Completely different outcome.
Why Digital Assets Behave Differently
Here’s the core issue.
Digital assets are:
Password protected
Platform controlled
Often outside traditional legal systems
Which means:
Even if your family knows what you own…
they may not be able to access it.
A Very Real Scenario
Someone owns:
A crypto wallet
Private key not shared
What happens?
Asset exists —> Family cannot access
Result?
Wealth is effectively lost.
Not because of market risk.
Because of access failure.
Let’s go one level deeper.
Platforms like:
Instagram
LinkedIn
YouTube
are no longer just profiles.
They are:
- Digital identity
- Personal archive
- Revenue source
Now imagine:
A creator with a monetised channel…
But no digital heir planning.
Outcome:
Income stops
Account access is restricted
Content remains locked
What Systems Exist Today (And Their Limitations)
There is no uniform system yet.
Different platforms behave differently.
Has Inactive Account Manager
You can assign access after inactivity
Meta (Facebook / Instagram)
Allows legacy contact
Option to memorialise accounts
Crypto Platforms
No structured inheritance
Access depends entirely on private keys
Which means:
There is no default safety net.
You have to create one.
So What Should You Actually Do?
1. Create a Digital Asset Inventory
Start simple.
List down:
Email accounts
Investment platforms
Social media
Crypto wallets
Cloud storage
Most people underestimate how much they actually own digitally.
2. Identify What Truly Matters
Not everything needs to be transferred.
But classify:
- Financial value
- Emotional value
- Business value
3. Build a Secure Access System
Avoid random password sharing.
Use:
Password managers with emergency access
Secure documentation
Structured sharing with trusted individuals
4. Appoint a “Digital Executor”
Just like a Will executor.
Someone who:
Understands technology
Is trustworthy
Knows where instructions are stored
5. Integrate This With Your Will
This is critical.
Your Will should:
- Mention digital assets
- Define ownership
- Clarify access intent
Even if law is evolving, documentation helps significantly.
6. Plan Crypto Separately
Crypto needs special attention.
Because:
Without keys, recovery is almost impossible.
Options include:
Multi-signature wallets
Secure key storage
Instruction-based access
What Happens If You Ignore This?
If you don’t plan:
Assets may become inaccessible
Accounts may be locked permanently
Family may struggle legally
Emotional memories may be lost
This is not theoretical.
It is already happening.
One Simple Step You Can Take Today
Tonight, before you sleep:
- Write down 5 digital assets you own
- Identify who should access them
That’s it.
Start there.
Because in the future…
Your legacy will not just be what you own.
It will be what your family can actually access.
This is only educational because we come across widows who do not know what all investments and insurance their spouse had and they could not even access the emails.
Warm regards,
Tejas
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