The UK creates a third class of personal property for crypto/stablecoins and clarifies ownership, recovery, estates, and insolvency.
The United Kingdom has codified digital assets as a distinct category of personal property, ending years of legal ambiguity. The Property (Digital Assets etc) Act 2025 received Royal Assent on December 2, officially becoming law.
The act creates a third category of property, legally protecting holdings like BTC $95 160 24h volatility: 0.0% Market cap: $1.90 T Vol. 24h: $18.72 B and stablecoins. This statutory clarity replaces a system of inconsistent, case-by-case court rulings. The new framework provides clear rules for ownership, theft, and inheritance of digital assets. It also defines how they are handled in bankruptcy and litigation.
Advocacy groups lauded the move on X:
Just stepped off stage from this fireside chat and WOW.
Yesterday the UK officially recognised Bitcoin as property in law. A third category of property now exists and it finally gives legal protection to the sats you hold.What we have built at @BitcoinPolicyUK helped make this… https://t.co/2sdv9W5tiM
— Decentra Suze (@DecentraSuze) December 3, 2025
How the UK Treated the Cryptocurrencies Earlier
Previously, UK courts treated digital assets as property under common-law precedents. This legislation solidifies that position, which is expected to bolster the UK’s standing in the global crypto market. The change provides a firmer legal basis for recovering stolen assets and managing them in estate cases.
Freddie New of Bitcoin Policy UK noted the law provides everyday users the legal certainty associated with conventional property.
Bitcoin gained 6% over the past 24 hours. According to CoinMarketCap, it is trading at $92.9K at press time.
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