What does a crypto recovery service actually do?
A crypto wallet recovery service attempts to restore access to a self-custody wallet you own: for example, a forgotten password, an incomplete seed phrase, a damaged file or an obsolete format. KeychainX provides this recovery service for supported wallet cases. Password recovery cannot reverse an on-chain transfer or restore a custodial exchange account; those require different support or investigative routes.
Use this guide to evaluate a provider’s identity, evidence, fees and handling of recovery material. See what KeychainX can recover for supported problems, or how wallet recovery works for a definition and its limits.
What do crypto recovery services cost?
KeychainX charges 20% of recovered value, only on success. Assessment is free, with no upfront payment or minimum fee under the published standard terms. Agree the applicable fee and how it is settled in writing. Be cautious of pressure to pay unexpected “unlock”, tax or release fees, especially from someone who contacted you unsolicited.
How to verify a crypto recovery service
Check several independent signals before sharing a wallet file or signing an agreement. Company registration identifies a legal entity; it does not guarantee competence or a successful recovery. Verify the contact details separately so an impersonator cannot borrow a real company’s credentials.
| Check | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Company and contact identity | Look up the legal name and registration number in the official register. Match the website, contract party and independently found contact details. |
| Recovery evidence | Read wallet-specific case studies and independent coverage. Check the problem, surviving backup and reported outcome; ask what a success-rate figure measures. |
| Fees and agreement | Get the fee, payment trigger, scope and failure terms in writing. Treat surprise “unlock”, tax or release charges as warning signs; pricing alone does not prove legitimacy. |
| Data, custody and ownership | Ask when files are needed, how they are transferred and stored, who can access recovered keys, and how ownership is assessed. Do not send secrets in the first enquiry. |
| Realistic limits | A provider should explain why your particular file, phrase or device is needed, acknowledge failure, and avoid promises to reverse blockchain transactions. |
What can be recovered — and what can’t?
Cases we assess: forgotten passwords, partial seed phrases, damaged or old-format wallet files, recoverable data on failed devices, and 2014 Ethereum presale backups. Feasibility depends on the surviving material and search space; a failed password does not by itself prove an encoding bug. Outside password recovery: reversing completed transfers, recovering a private key from an address alone, or bypassing an exchange’s account-access process. If a file is missing, locating a usable copy may be the first step.
What to prepare before you make contact
The quality of the assessment you get back depends almost entirely on what you can describe at the start. Before making contact, gather four things.
The wallet file, located. Find it and know where it is — wallet.dat for Bitcoin Core, a UTC/V3 keystore JSON for Geth or Mist, the vault data for MetaMask, a .wallet or .key for older clients. What is needed depends on the case, and the assessment will tell you exactly what to send and when.
Password context, kept private. For the first enquiry, describe approximate length, language, keyboard and whether useful hints remain. Keep actual candidates, seed words and private keys out of that message. Detailed recovery material is discussed only after scope, ownership checks and secure handling are agreed.
The circumstances. Roughly when the wallet was created, which software and version, which operating system, and when you last opened it successfully. Wallet formats changed repeatedly between 2011 and 2016, and the era determines the method.
Ownership context. Explain when and how you used the wallet and what supporting records exist. A public address or possession of a file can help identify a case, but neither alone proves ownership. Any supporting documents should be handled through the agreed process.
What a real engagement looks like
KeychainX’s usual engagement follows these stages:
- Free assessment. You describe the case; we tell you honestly whether it is workable and roughly how hard. This comes back within 24 hours and includes “this is not recoverable” when that is the answer.
- Verify who you are dealing with. Most cases are handled by email. Ask about a video call; in-person meetings at MME’s Zurich offices are by prior arrangement after case information and identity checks.
- Written agreement. Terms in writing before any file changes hands: the fee, what happens on failure, and how your data is handled. The client agreement was drafted by MME, our Swiss legal counsel since 2020.
- The work. The search runs offline on in-house hardware.
- Recovery and fee. On success the 20% fee is deducted from the recovered funds. You never send money in advance at any point in this sequence.
What happens if the wallet cannot be opened?
You pay nothing. That is what “success-based” means, and it is the reason we turn cases away at the assessment stage rather than accepting everything — an unwinnable case costs us compute and earns nothing.
Failure is possible. KeychainX reports an overall success rate of about 79% and 1,000+ clients served since 2017. The public figures do not specify a measurement period or denominator, so they should not be treated as the probability of success for your wallet. Ask any provider how its statistics were calculated and which cases were included.
How KeychainX meets these checks
Company identity: KEYCHAINX AG, Baar, Canton of Zug, Switzerland; published Swiss UID CHE-420.310.730. Search the name or UID in Zefix, the official Swiss commercial-register search. Recovery work began in 2017; the Swiss company registration dates to 2021, as explained in our company FAQ.
Evidence: compare the wallet-specific reported recovery cases with the technical references and independent coverage linked from those case reports. Cases and aggregate performance figures are company-reported unless a source explicitly establishes otherwise.
Contact and verification: the official email is mail@keychainx.io. We do not initiate recovery offers through unsolicited social-media messages. Most work is arranged by email; calls and meetings require coordination.
Terms and handling: free assessment, no upfront payment, and the standard 20% fee only on successful recovery. A written agreement precedes transfer of recovery material. KeychainX states that recovery searches run offline on its own hardware; ask how access, custody and deletion will work for your case.
Start with a free assessment: Contact KeychainX · FAQ · Supported wallets
Are crypto recovery services legitimate?
Some providers perform legitimate wallet-access recovery, while impersonators and fraudulent offers also exist. Verify legal identity, relevant evidence, written terms and data handling together. A registration number, positive review or success-fee offer alone does not establish legitimacy.
Can a recovery service get back stolen crypto?
A wallet-password recovery service cannot reverse a blockchain transfer. Fraud tracing, exchange cooperation and legal recovery are different processes and do not guarantee funds will be returned. KeychainX’s wallet recovery work concerns restoring access to a wallet you own.
How much does KeychainX charge?
20% of the recovered value, only on success. Assessment is free, and there is no upfront payment of any kind.
What do I need to have before contacting you?
Describe the wallet software, approximate creation date, problem and types of backups or devices that survive. Do not send wallet files, passwords, seed words or private keys in the first message. We explain the appropriate handling process if the case can proceed.
What happens if you cannot open my wallet?
Under our success-based terms you pay nothing if recovery fails. There is no upfront payment. An assessment explains the limits of your case; an aggregate success rate is not a guarantee.
Can I meet you before I commit to anything?
Most cases are handled by email. Ask us about arranging a video call. In-person meetings at MME’s Zurich offices can be arranged in advance after we receive case information and complete identity checks; they are not walk-in appointments.
Is there a written agreement?
Yes. A client agreement drafted by MME is signed before any wallet file is transferred. It sets out the fee, what happens if recovery fails, and how your data is handled.
How long does wallet recovery take?
Simple password cases can resolve in days; complex cases (partial seeds, presale encoding issues, damaged media) can take weeks to months. You get an honest estimate — including “unrecoverable” — at the free assessment.