Finance

Durant’s Decade-Long Bitcoin Wait: How Coinbase Fixed the NBA Star’s Account and What It Means for Your Crypto

Kevin Durant recovered his Coinbase account after a decade. Coinbase addresses user account access issues.

September 19, 2025, 11:17 PM

Kevin Durant, a professional basketball player, speaking into a microphone at a premiere event

Kevin Durant attends the New York City premiere of "Swagger" at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. By Ron Adar / Shutterstock.com.

Executive Summary

NBA star Kevin Durant regained access to his Coinbase account and Bitcoin holdings after nearly a a decade, confirmed by Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong.

Durant originally invested in Bitcoin around 2014 or 2015 but lost access to his account, a common issue for users due to forgotten passwords or lack of recovery details.

Durant’s high-profile recovery highlighted widespread customer support issues at Coinbase, prompting CEO Brian Armstrong to commit to improving user assistance.

The Story So Far

NBA star Kevin Durant’s decade-long inability to access his Bitcoin holdings, stemming from a forgotten password on his Coinbase account after an investment around 2014-2015, brought to light a widespread issue of users being locked out of their cryptocurrency accounts; this public recovery prompted Coinbase’s CEO to acknowledge and commit to improving the exchange’s customer support services.

Why This Matters

Kevin Durant’s successful recovery of his decade-old Bitcoin holdings highlights both the long-term appreciation potential of cryptocurrencies and the critical, widespread issues users face with account access and customer support on major exchanges. This high-profile incident has put pressure on Coinbase, leading its CEO to publicly acknowledge and commit to significant improvements in its customer service and account recovery processes, aiming to enhance user trust and accessibility in the digital asset space.

Who Thinks What?

NBA star Kevin Durant has successfully regained access to his Coinbase account and Bitcoin holdings after nearly a decade, highlighting the long-term potential of cryptocurrency investments.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong confirmed Durant’s account recovery and acknowledged widespread user complaints regarding access issues, committing to significant improvements in the company’s customer support services.

Numerous other users reported being locked out of their Coinbase accounts for years and expressed frustration with the difficulty of regaining access, echoing the broader need for enhanced customer support.

NBA star Kevin Durant has regained access to his Coinbase account and Bitcoin holdings after nearly a decade, a recovery confirmed by Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong on Thursday evening via an X post. Durant, a 15-time NBA All-Star, originally lost access to his account after investing in Bitcoin around 2014 or 2015, a story he shared earlier in the week at the Gameplan Summit in Santa Monica.

Account Recovery Details

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong publicly announced the successful account recovery on Thursday, stating, “We got this fixed. Account recovery complete!” This marked the end of a nearly ten-year period during which Durant was unable to access his digital assets.

Durant first discovered Bitcoin around 2014 or 2015 and, with his agent, decided to invest after hearing about the cryptocurrency at a party. Losing access to a Coinbase account, often due to forgotten passwords and a lack of recovery details, can prevent users from accessing their stored crypto holdings.

Wider Customer Support Issues Emerge

The news of Durant’s account recovery quickly drew responses from numerous other users who reported facing similar issues. Many pointed out that they too had been locked out of their accounts for years and had struggled to regain access.

In response to the influx of user complaints, Armstrong addressed the issue on Friday. He reposted a thread from one of Coinbase’s customer support team leaders, which outlined ongoing improvements to the exchange’s support services. Armstrong emphasized the company’s dedication to enhancing its user assistance, stating, “We’re putting a big focus on getting better at customer support.”

Key Takeaways

Kevin Durant’s high-profile account recovery highlights both the long-term holding potential of Bitcoin and the critical importance of secure account management in the cryptocurrency space. Coinbase’s public commitment to improving its customer support indicates an effort to address widespread user concerns regarding accessibility and account recovery.