UK High Court rules Chinese law governs 61,000 seized Bitcoin claims
CIE News ·
The UK High Court ruled that Chinese law governs ownership rights over 61,000 BTC seized in civil recovery proceedings, potentially capping victims' returns.
On October 12, 2026, the High Court of England and Wales ruled that Chinese law will determine ownership claims over more than 61,000 Bitcoin (BTC) seized in civil asset recovery proceedings, crypto.news reported. The civil recovery case was brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions under Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 following an illegal fundraising scheme by Tianjin Lantian Gerui Electronic Technology.
Judge Mr Justice Turner decided that the applicants' proprietary claims fall under Chinese legal principles rather than English restitution doctrine, as the initial investments and asset conversions were centered in China. Legal firm Duan & Duan UK LLP noted that applying Chinese law may restrict roughly 16,000 fraud victims to recovering only their principal and interest, preventing them from accessing BTC market appreciation.
The court deferred determining the content and application of Chinese law to a future stage of the proceedings. Duan & Duan partner Jackson Ng stated that the firm is reviewing the ruling with clients and will continue to pursue their claims under the procedural framework provided by English law.