Glossary
Payable-on-death instruction (dyspozycja na wypadek śmierci)
Poland's payable-on-death instruction covers bank accounts, not crypto. What Article 56 of the Banking Act says and why it likely doesn't reach exchanges.
A payable-on-death instruction (dyspozycja wkładem na wypadek śmierci) is a Polish legal instrument: a written order to a bank to pay a set sum to named relatives after the account holder dies. The rule covers selected bank accounts only.
It’s governed by Article 56 of the Polish Banking Act (Prawo bankowe). The holder of a savings account, a savings-and-current account or a term deposit can make the instruction. The payout can go to a spouse, ascendants, descendants or siblings, so a strict circle of close relatives. The amount has a statutory limit, expressed as a multiple of the average wage, and the instruction can be changed in writing at any time.
Does it work for crypto? Most likely not. The rule talks about accounts at a bank, and a crypto exchange usually isn’t a bank, so an exchange account isn’t an account within the meaning of that article. The rule doesn’t mention digital assets. For a specific exchange, check its terms and ask its support, because some firms have their own procedures. Other EU countries have their own rules, so check locally.
It doesn’t apply to a self-custody wallet either, where there’s no party that could carry out the order.
Why it matters for your family
The instruction helps with cash in an account, for example for a funeral, but it doesn’t solve the crypto question. With an exchange, the family follows the inheritance route described in the guide on an exchange account after the owner’s death. This is not legal advice; for your own case, ask a notary or lawyer.
Accurate as of 19 October 2026.
Sources