Important takeouts:
If you lose access to your non-resistant wallet, but still have a seed phrase, you can restore your funds by importing the wallet and setting a new password.
In many cases, storage wallets can be recovered through a standard email-based password reset and identity verification process.
Losing both the password and seed phrases for a non-custodial wallet usually means permanent loss of access to the crypto wallet.
Beware of recovery company fraud. A legitimate recovery service should not require advance fees and provide clear documentation and verified track record. With the exception of all technological advancements, it will remain the same in 2025.
Ledger analysts say as of early 2025, between 2.3 million and 3.7 million Bitcoin (BTC) have been lost forever. In 2024 alone, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation estimated that losses from cryptocurrency investment fraud exceeded $9.3 billion. The majority of the affected people were over 60 years old, and they either lost their money or, even worse, fell victim to recovery scams while trying to retrieve it.
If you lose your seed phrase, have forgotten your wallet password, or if you encounter suspicious activity while trying to ask for help, don’t panic. There are still legitimate ways to help you recover your cryptocurrency account.
However, there are no solutions for all sizes. Not all “recovery experts” are looking for your best interests. So let’s look into what works in 2025.
Clearly what lost wallet types are
First off: Understand the type of wallet you lost access. It basically sounds like this, but this makes all the difference in what can be recovered. There are two types of wallets.
Detention Wallet: Can be found in cryptocurrency exchanges such as Binance, Kraken, Coinbase and more. Losing your password to your storage wallet can be corrected because the storage service manages your private key. Like traditional banks, these platforms typically allow password resets via email and know customer (KYC) authentication.
Non-resistant wallets: Cold wallets such as Metamasks, Trust Wallets, and Ledgers do not hold passwords or seed phrases. For non-biological wallets, if you lose both your password and seed phrases, it can be difficult to recover your cryptocurrency unless you back it up somewhere else.
Most people get into problems when dealing with non-radical wallets, especially after a hardware breakdown or simply after forgetting login details.
Did you know? The storage wallet does not provide seed phrases as service providers handle private key management and security.
How to get lost encryption password or seed phrase
So let’s talk about recovery actions. Depending on the situation, here is a step-by-step plan for Crypto Wallet Access Recovery:
Status A: I lost my password, but I still have a seed phrase
If you have forgotten the password for a non-radical wallet, such as Metamask or Exodus, but still have a seed phrase, you can follow these steps to restore access to the wallet.
Step 1: Select the “Import Wallet” or “Restore Wallet” option
When you log in to the wallet application, you will be asked whether you want to “create a new wallet” or “add an existing wallet.” Choose to add or restore an existing wallet.
The app may be asked to select “Google Drive Backup.” Select your email account with the saved seed phrase and restore the wallet from the backup. Carefully enter 12 or 24 words of seed phrases.
Step 2: Set a new password
After restoring the wallet using seed phrases, you will be prompted to create a new password. This replaces the old one for local access.
Situation B: You lost your password in custody exchange
If you lose your password during the crypto exchange, follow these steps to restore access to your crypto wallet:
Step 1: Recover the initial password
To start the recovery process, go to the Exchange login page and select Forgot your password. Enter your account’s registered email address, phone number, or username and follow the on-screen instructions.
To verify your identity, you will be asked to answer security questions and submit personal documents, depending on the exchange’s security policy.
Step 2: Set a new password
After confirming, you can create a new secure password. Adding two-factor authentication (2FA) to your cryptocurrency wallet prevents unnecessary access.
Situation C: You lost the seed phrase in a non-rooted wallet
In this scenario, the choices are limited, making it difficult to get back to your wallet. In most cases, you cannot recover your non-lawyer wallet without a password or seed phrase. However, if you write it down or save it digitally, try the following:
Try using a data recovery tool to find files for “.txt” or “.pdf” backups
Check the password manager
Check your handwritten note email, cloud drive, or photos.
Did you know? Take seed phrases offline to increase security in several safe locations, such as in another city or a secure deposit box using a trusted individual, ensuring that you can regain your cryptocurrency even if one backup is destroyed or lost.
How to recover crypto wallet when everything else fails
Are you still locked out? Here are some final resort options. These are advanced and dangerous, but for high value wallets, they may be worth exploring.
Brute Force Recovery Tool
There is a password recovery tool specifically designed for wallet file formats (for example, “.dat” for Bitcoin Core Wallet). These tools try millions of password combinations, so if your original password is weak or based on a known pattern, you may be lucky.
However, be careful: do not download the tool from unknown forums. Stick to the vetted Github project and read the documentation carefully.
Blockchain forensics and recovery experts
Some professional recovery companies can surpass brute force if they believe someone has changed their password to get the encryption. They can use chain tracking and clustering tools to work with exchanges to freeze assets and identify money laundering patterns of stolen cryptocurrency funds.
They cannot recover your seed phrases, but they may help you track and recover cryptography stolen by hackers and scammers if you act quickly and have strong evidence.
Legal route
Cryptocurrency theft can also be reported to authorities such as action fraud or interpol cybercrime if they deal with fraud rather than simply forgotten passwords. Working with ethical hackers under a legal framework and filing a civil lawsuit with the support of blockchain experts is also an option.
How to Find Crypto Wallet Recovery Services
There are many crypto recovery services out there, but the space is raw with fakes ready to take advantage of you, especially after you’ve already lost money. Here’s how to identify legitimate recovery experts:
There are no upfront fees: Actual businesses work in emergencies. Payment will only be made if funds are collected.
Detailed Process: The company starts with a full case review, examines wallet addresses and transaction IDs, then assesses feasibility and provides informed updates with progress reports and real timelines.
Published Reviews: Find success stories across independent platforms.
Transparent Contact Information: Suspect “experts” who use only telegrams or Gmail accounts.
Please note that you should avoid people who guarantee a 100% success rate. Not all wallets can be collected – even the most powerful tool.
This article does not include investment advice or recommendations. All investment and trading movements include risk and readers must do their own research when making decisions.
