The 2017 crypto bull run brought millions of new investors into Bitcoin, Ethereum, and altcoins. Many of those investors bought small amounts, stored them in wallets they barely understood, and then — when prices crashed in 2018 — forgot about them entirely. Years later, some of those wallets are now worth significant sums.

If you bought crypto between 2016 and 2019 and aren't sure where it ended up, this guide walks you through a systematic search process.

Step 1: Search Your Emails for Exchange Accounts

Most people's crypto journey in 2017 started with an exchange. Search your email inbox for:

Check Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and any old email addresses you may have used. Also check your spam folder — exchange emails were frequently filtered.

Step 2: Check Old Exchange Accounts

If you find evidence of an exchange account, try to log in. Many exchanges from 2017 are still operating. Use your old email and try to reset the password if needed.

⚠️ Defunct exchanges

Some popular 2017 exchanges are no longer operating — Bittrex, Cryptopia, QuadrigaCX, and others have since closed or gone bankrupt. If your crypto was on one of these, you may have a bankruptcy claim. See our guides on specific exchange claims.

Step 3: Search for Wallet Software and Browser Extensions

In 2017, common wallet options included desktop apps and browser extensions. Check:

Step 4: Search for Seed Phrases and Private Keys

In 2017, many people wrote down their seed phrases or private keys on paper, in notes apps, or in password managers. Search:

  1. 1Physical paper — check drawers, safes, notebooks, folders from 2016–2018
  2. 2Notes apps — Apple Notes, Google Keep, OneNote, Evernote. Search "seed", "phrase", "private key", "backup"
  3. 3Password managers — LastPass, 1Password, Bitwarden. Search for crypto-related entries
  4. 4Photos — many people photographed their seed phrases. Search your camera roll from 2016–2018 for blurry photos of handwritten words or QR codes
  5. 5Cloud backups — Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud. Search for files containing "seed", "mnemonic", "wallet"

Step 5: Check Hardware Wallets

Ledger and Trezor launched consumer products around 2016–2017. If you bought one, it may still contain your crypto. Check old storage boxes, desk drawers, and tech accessories bags. If you find a hardware wallet but can't remember the PIN, you can restore the wallet using your seed phrase on a new device.

Step 6: Look for Bitcoin Address Records

If you ever received Bitcoin to an address you own, that transaction is permanently recorded on the blockchain. If you can find any old Bitcoin address — in an email, a screenshot, or a text — you can look it up on a block explorer like blockchain.com to see the current balance. The funds are still there, even if you've lost access to the wallet.

Key insight: Crypto never disappears from the blockchain. If your old wallet held Bitcoin in 2017 and you haven't moved it, it's still there. The challenge is regaining access — which requires either the private key, the seed phrase, or the wallet file.

Lost Your Crypto Wallet?

Read our full guide on crypto wallet recovery options, tools, and professional services.

Crypto Wallet Recovery Guide →

Search for Your Unclaimed Money — Free

One free search covers 40+ government databases across 35+ countries. No signup, no fees, 60 seconds.

Start Free Search →

Frequently Asked Questions About Recovering Old Crypto Wallets

Where should I look first for an old crypto wallet from 2017–2018?

Start by searching your old computers, USB drives, and external hard drives for wallet files. Common wallet file names to search for: "wallet.dat" (Bitcoin Core), any file ending in ".json" in a folder named "keystore" or "ethereum" (MetaMask, MyEtherWallet), or files containing "seed," "mnemonic," or "private key" in the name. Also check Google Drive, Dropbox, and email drafts — many people emailed themselves backup information in 2017. Check any notebooks or papers from that period. Your browser history from 2017–2018 may also reveal which wallets or exchanges you used.

What if I remember my seed phrase partially?

If you remember most of a 12 or 24-word BIP39 seed phrase, recovery may be possible. Tools like btcrecover (open-source) can systematically test combinations of seed phrase variations if you know the approximate words and their order. For a 12-word phrase, if you know 11 words exactly, the final word can be brute-forced in seconds since BIP39 uses a checksum. If the words are partially known but order is uncertain, the search space grows but is still potentially feasible. For large balances, professional wallet recovery services exist — ensure any service you use is reputable and ask how they handle your private information.

Is it safe to enter an old wallet password into recovery tools?

Use extreme caution. Only use open-source, widely trusted tools that you can verify are not sending your credentials anywhere. Run recovery tools offline (on a computer not connected to the internet) if possible, especially for wallets with significant balances. Never enter your seed phrase or private key into any online tool or website, including sites that claim to "scan" your wallet for you — these are almost always designed to steal your funds the moment you enter the information. The only safe recovery tools are those you run locally on your own machine after verifying the source code or its reputation.

What if the exchange I used in 2017 no longer exists?

If the exchange went bankrupt (e.g., BitConnect, QuadrigaCX, Cryptopia), there may be an ongoing claims process. Search for the exchange name along with "bankruptcy claims" or "insolvency claims." If the exchange simply stopped operating without formal insolvency, any funds left on it may be unrecoverable — exchanges that disappear without filing for bankruptcy rarely have a mechanism for returning customer funds. Going forward, always withdraw crypto from exchanges into a self-custodied wallet where you control the private keys — the rule "not your keys, not your coins" remains the most important security principle in crypto.