Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have been in the public spotlight in the last 18 months due to the drastic fluctuations in their values. Although still limited, the number of places where cryptocurrencies can be used as payment has been growing in recent times. However, most countries lack specific regulations on the issuance or use of cryptocurrencies, and there exists no clear definition of their legal nature in terms of whether they could be defined as actual currency or other assets of value, or whether they are just pieces of computing data without any intrinsic value. Due to the growing importance of regulatory aspects and legal identity in civil and criminal law, particularly in relation to confiscation, there is an urgent need to establish an appropriate definition and specify the legal nature of cryptocurrency as soon as possible.
July 16 2018
