The UK has reportedly put a new law on the books designating cryptocurrencies as property under UK law. The bill was approved and received Royal Assent on 2 December 2025.
The move turns a long period of legal uncertainty into clear rules about who owns what when it comes to bitcoin, stablecoins and other tokenized assets.
UK grants real estate status to cryptocurrencies
The bill, called the Property (Digital Assets, etc.) Act, 2025, creates a new third personal property category for digital assets, according to the report. This law applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
It does not create cryptocurrencies that stores must accept, nor does it set its own new rules for exchange or taxes. What it does is give the owner a more solid legal argument that they can use in court.
The court set the stage years ago
Even before the law was enacted, judges were already treating cryptocurrencies as property in some cases. For example, a 2019 High Court case granted exclusive relief for Bitcoin used in ransom claims.
Another major ruling came in 2023, when a judge ruled that the stablecoin USDT could acquire property rights under UK law, according to the report.
Legal groups such as the UK Jurisdiction Taskforce have argued for years that cryptocurrencies meet the basic test for property. This means that cryptocurrencies can be defined, discovered, transferred, and held for a period of time. The new bill simply incorporates that view into statute.
I miss them both a little. UK courts have already been treating cryptocurrencies as property for several years. This will only codify and strengthen the framework, particularly for insolvency/real estate matters. It is “true” that the current legislation states this, but this is not a revolution for CryptoUK…
— CryptoReplyGuy1 (@CryptoReplyGuy1) December 2, 2025
Stronger rights for holders and courts
With property status enshrined in law, people holding cryptocurrency can more easily file claims to recover stolen or lost assets. Creditors and insolvency practitioners will have a clearer basis for adding digital assets to estate and insolvency lists.
According to the report, the changes will make it easier than ever to obtain freezing orders, seizures and compensation through the UK courts. This is important for hacking victims, customers of failed platforms, and anyone looking to settle assets containing cryptocurrencies.
Laws, not complete rulebooks
This bill is a legal recognition, not a full set of rules for how cryptocurrencies can be bought, sold, or taxed. Regulators still control licensing, anti-money laundering checks, and market conduct.
Tax authorities will continue to define how profits are assessed. Based on reports from legal commentators, the bill serves as a foundation. First, clarify ownership, and lawmakers or regulators can create more detailed rules on top of that later.
Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
editing process for focuses on providing thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We adhere to strict sourcing standards, and each page is diligently reviewed by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of the content for readers.
