UK Introduces New Bill to Clarify Legal Status of Cryptocurrency and Digital Assets
The UK government has introduced the Property (Digital Assets etc.) Bill in Parliament, marking a historic move to clarify the legal status of digital assets such as cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and tokenized real-world assets (RWAs). Once enacted, these digital holdings will be officially recognized as personal property under British law.
The bill, which follows recommendations from the Law Commission’s 2023 report, introduces a new category of property alongside the existing categories of “things in possession” (e.g., money and cars) and “things in action” (e.g., debt and shares). This new classification will ensure that certain digital assets, including crypto tokens, can attract personal property rights, according to Justice Minister Heidi Alexander.
This legislative step will provide clear legal guidelines for resolving ownership disputes over digital assets, such as in divorce settlements, and will also offer protection to both individuals and companies against fraud and scams. Previously, digital assets were not definitively included in English and Welsh property law, leaving their owners in a legal grey area.
“We conclude that some digital assets are neither things in possession nor things in action, but that nonetheless the law of England and Wales treats them as capable of being things to which personal property rights can relate,” the Law Commission wrote in the report. The commission’s findings primarily focus on crypto tokens, which are now set to receive official legal recognition.
The Bill positions the UK as one of the first countries to recognize digital assets in law, further cementing its leadership in the emerging global crypto race. It also underscores the UK’s commitment to keeping its legal framework up to date with rapidly evolving technologies, helping attract more business and investment to its legal services sector, which is already worth £34 billion annually.
Justice Minister Heidi Alexander emphasized, “It is essential that the law keeps pace with evolving technologies and this legislation will mean that the sector can maintain its position as a global leader in cryptoassets and bring clarity to complex property cases.”
This move ensures the UK’s legal sector remains a global leader, offering much-needed clarity and protection in the fast-growing digital asset space.
