London-basedadeus, a legaltech company specialising in
modernising will-writing and legacy planning, has launched adeus True Wills™, a
service intended to help prevent wills from being lost, altered, or disputed
after death.
Founded in 2024 by entrepreneurs Nick Adams and Mark Hedley, the launch marks the first major product release from an innovation
project supported by an Innovate UK Smart Grant, with additional products
planned for release in the first half of 2026.
Traditional paper wills can be lost, damaged, or
challenged in court, potentially leading to stress and legal costs for
families. adeus True Wills addresses these risks by creating a permanent
digital fingerprint of a will using blockchain technology while remaining
compliant with current UK law. According to Nick Adams, CEO of adeus, making a
will is a significant step, yet paper-based wills are often more vulnerable
than many people realise.
True Wills removes the uncertainty. Your will is
permanently protected, clearly time-stamped, and impossible to alter. This
gives you peace of mind today and protects your loved ones from unnecessary
conflict when it matters most,
Adams said.
The service is designed to work alongside a
traditionally executed paper will signed and witnessed in accordance with
current legal requirements. Once a will is created through the adeus platform,
a unique digital fingerprint is generated and secured using adeus True Will
Technology. The will document itself is not stored on the blockchain, only the
digital fingerprint is recorded.
This approach maintains privacy while
providing cryptographic verification of authenticity. Because any change to the
document would alter the fingerprint, potential tampering or forgery can be
detected, giving families and executors verifiable evidence during probate and
helping to reduce the likelihood of disputes.
True Wills is an adeus trademark, and the company plans to offer the technology to independent will writers and solicitors in addition to its direct customers.
For people with more complex needs who require
expert legal advice, solicitors and will writers continue to do what they do
best – taking instructions, drafting, and overseeing the signing of wills. We
take care of the rest, ensuring their clients’ wills are protected with the
same institutional-grade security,
said Mark Hedley, COO of adeus.
The launch comes as England and Wales prepare for
significant reforms to will-making, with electronic wills expected to become
legally valid in 2026 following the Law Commission’s recommendations in May
2025. adeus True Wills has been designed to adapt to this transition.
While
customers currently create digital wills that are executed using traditional
wet signatures, the same platform is intended to support fully electronic will
creation and signing once new legislation takes effect, without requiring users
to start again.
Hedley added that the company is building
infrastructure for electronic wills ahead of legislative change, allowing
customers to access True Wills protection now while preparing for future legal
developments.
adeus Wills are currently available in England
and Wales, with the company planning to expand its product offering in 2026 as
reforms around electronic wills progress.