If you’re reading this, chances are you’re concerned about the recent seizure of Samourai Wallet and wondering how it affects you. The sudden shutdown has left many users worried about their funds. However, you can relax: Samourai Wallet is only a gateway and your assets actually remain on the blockchain. This means you can still recover them even after the wallet’s seizure. All you need is a valid seed phrase and, if you set one up, a passphrase.
What Happened to Samourai Wallet
Samourai Wallet was especially famous for advanced privacy tools like CoinJoin mixing (Whirlpool) and transaction obfuscation. It launched in 2015 and was mainly used by people who wanted to obscure Bitcoin transaction history. Over time reports indicated around 100,000+ downloads on Android.
In April 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice charged Samourai Wallet’s co-founders, Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill, accusing them of running an unlicensed money-transmitting business and helping move criminal funds through the wallet’s privacy features. Authorities claimed the platform processed over $2 billion in transactions.
In July 2025, as part of a plea agreement both founders pleaded guilty to operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business. “Rodrigues and Hill were respectively sentenced to five and four years in prison”.
Can You Still Use Samourai Wallet Today?
As a result of the arrests, law enforcement seized the Samourai Wallet developers’ domains and servers, and Google Play Store removed the app. Official development and support for Samourai Wallet have also stopped.
Despite this, your Bitcoin is still recoverable. Your funds stay on the blockchain, not inside the wallet app itself. To regain access, you simply need to import your seed phrase or private keys into another compatible wallet.
How to Recover Funds from a Discontinued Samourai Wallet
Before starting the recovery, you need to gather the most important information: a valid 12 word seed phrase and, if you used one, your passphrase and a compatible wallet. We recommend using Sparrow Wallet, Electrum Wallet, or BlueWallet, as they are commonly used and compatible options.
It’s very important to enter the words in the exact same order and without typos. Even one wrong letter can make the entire phrase invalid. The same applies to the passphrase: one incorrect symbol or character can block access to your funds.
Step-by-Step Recovery Process for Samourai Wallet Using Electrum Wallet
To use Electrum for Samourai Wallet recovery, you’ll need to:
- Download & install Electrum Wallet.
- Create a new wallet and choose “I already have a seed”.
- Enter your Samourai Wallet seed phrase in the correct order, enter your passphrase (if used), and configure the correct derivation path.
- Set a strong password for your wallet.
- Electrum will display your balance and transactions.
After recovering your funds, check if the amount is right. Make sure it matches what you expected and there are no surprises. If you have trouble recovering your wallet, reach out to Crypto Recovers for help.
Troubleshooting Common Samourai Wallet Recovery Issues
There can be multiple reasons why you may not be able to recover funds from a Samourai Wallet. These range from an invalid seed phrase or passphrase to compatibility issues and incorrect derivation paths.
Let’s go through each issue in detail.
Invalid or Incompolete Seed Phrase
If your seed phrase is invalid or incomplete, the first step is to check for typos in the words. The good news is that you can verify each word using the BIP‑39 word list if needed. It’s also critical to enter the 12 words in the exact order you received them during setup. The same applies to missing words: you can verify them with the list or contact us at Crypto Recovers. We can brute-force the phrase using the right tools and save you a significant amount of time.
Lost or Forgotten Passphrase
A forgotten passphrase can only be recovered if you have some hints. This usually means creating a list of possible password combinations you may have used before. Try to recall favorite symbols, pet names, important dates, or the year when you created the wallet. These details can help trigger your memory. If not, you can provide these hints to Crypto Recovers, and we can use our custom cracking tools to help regain access to your funds.
Wallet Compatibility Issues
Another common issue is wallet compatibility. Since Samourai is a Bitcoin wallet, recovery may fail if the wallet you’re using is not a Bitcoin wallet or does not support the BIP‑39 standard. Additionally, outdated or unofficial wallet versions may fail to detect funds correctly.
Advanced Privacy Features Affecting Recovery
Samourai Wallet also uses advanced privacy features such as Whirlpool (mixing), Ricochet, Dojo, and PayNyms. Because of this, your coins may not appear right away. Funds sent through Whirlpool or Ricochet often use different addresses or derivation paths, and when only standard addresses are scanned, some outputs may remain hidden in non‑standard paths.
If you run into any difficulties during recovery, contact Crypto Recovers — we’re here to make the process smoother and less stressful.
How Crypto Recovers May Help You Recovering Samourai Wallet Funds
If you don’t have your seed phrase or passphrase, unfortunately, your assets may stay locked on the blockchain. However, if you still have part of your 12-word seed phrase, Crypto Recovers may be able to help you recover the missing words, as long as four or fewer are missing. The same applies to an invalid passphrase: you need to have at least some hints to help us brute-force it.
We’ve been recovering Bitcoin wallets since 2019 and have refined our cracking techniques and developed custom brute‑force tools over the years. You can meet with our team either in person at our office or online to discuss your recovery chances.
We begin work only after signing a legal agreement to ensure the safety of your data and funds. The best part is that there’s no upfront payment, since we take a commission only after a successful recovery. Our standard fee is 20% of the recovered amount, though this can be discussed.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us by email or give us a call.
