{"id":3410,"date":"2022-08-04T11:09:48","date_gmt":"2022-08-04T11:09:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rfblegal.co.uk\/?post_type=insight&p=3410"},"modified":"2024-02-27T13:41:29","modified_gmt":"2024-02-27T13:41:29","slug":"exploracion-de-bitcoin-y-jurisdiccion","status":"publish","type":"insight","link":"https:\/\/rfblegal.co.uk\/es\/perspectivas\/exploracion-de-bitcoin-y-jurisdiccion\/","title":{"rendered":"Una aproximaci\u00f3n al bitcoin y la jurisdicci\u00f3n"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00bfEst\u00e1n las criptomonedas fuera del alcance de la legislaci\u00f3n convencional? El departamento de Procesal Penal analiza un caso intrigante que plante\u00f3 un dilema a los jueces cuando se present\u00f3 ante el Tribunal Superior.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On March 25 2022 the High Court passed a judgment which deliberated upon significant questions in relation to jurisdiction and cryptocurrency<\/a> in the case of Tulip Trading Ltd (TTL) v Bitcoin Association for BSV, the original Bitcoin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

La demandante, TTL, es una sociedad de cartera del Dr. Craig Wright, constituida en las Seychelles. TTL aleg\u00f3 que se le impidi\u00f3 el acceso a su cuenta de bitcoins tras un ataque inform\u00e1tico al ordenador del Dr. Wright, y que dicho ataque afect\u00f3 a bitcoins por valor de 1,1 millones de libras esterlinas propiedad de TTL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, the private<\/a> keys needed to access the account had been stolen and deleted from Dr Wright\u2019s computer. Therefore TTL was unable to access or control the Bitcoin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike other cryptocurrency hacks we have seen recently, the Bitcoin in question had not actually been taken from its original ubicaci\u00f3n<\/a> or transferred elsewhere. However, without the private keys TTL was unable to access it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In light of this, TTL did not seek remedies<\/a> against the alleged perpetrators of the hack. Instead, they issued proceedings against the 16 core developers (the defendants<\/a>) who controlled the software in respect of \u2018the Networks\u2019 on which the Bitcoin was stored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TTL claimed that the defendants owed a fiduciary or tortious duty to assist TTL in regaining control and use of the Bitcoin. If that was not possible, TTL sought equitable compensation or damages if the former remedy<\/a> was not successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A key defining issue in this case, was the fact that none of the defendants were based in the jurisdiction of England<\/a> and Wales. Therefore, as opposed to a full trial, the judgement was in fact an interim application specifically related to a number<\/a> of defendants\u2019 challenge<\/a> to the court\u2019s jurisdiction and ability to permit service outside of England and Wales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order for the defendants to succeed with their jurisdictional<\/a> application, the following requirements<\/a> had to be satisfied:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Si hab\u00eda o no una cuesti\u00f3n grave que juzgar<\/p>\n\n\n\n

si exist\u00edan argumentos s\u00f3lidos para sostener que el asunto entraba dentro de uno o varios de los criterios de competencia establecidos en el apartado 3.1 de la Directiva 6B del Reglamento de Procedimiento Civil (CPR); y<\/p>\n\n\n\n

En cualquier caso:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Inglaterra es, de forma clara o inequ\u00edvoca, el foro adecuado para el enjuiciamiento del litigio; y<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. El tribunal deber\u00eda hacer uso de su facultad discrecional para autorizar la notificaci\u00f3n de las actuaciones fuera de la jurisdicci\u00f3n.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Considering this, the court found that TTL had not established a serious issue to be tried on the merits of its claim. Additionally, it held that developers did not owe TTL any fiduciary duties<\/a> for the following reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bitcoin owners could not realistically be described as having entrusted their propiedad<\/a> to a fluctuating, unidentified body of software developers<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The distinctive characteristic<\/a> of a fiduciary relationship is the obligation of \u2018undivided loyalty\u2019. However, the steps that TTL required the defendants to take \u2013 such as writing and implementing a software \u2018patch\u2019 which would enable TTL to recover the Bitcoin, would only benefit TTL \u2013 rather than the other users of the network. In fact, the court argued that the changes sought by TTL could even be disadvantageous to other users of the network; and<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Las exigencias de TTL podr\u00edan haber expuesto a los demandados a riesgos; por ejemplo, si los desarrolladores hubieran creado el parche de software para TTL, habr\u00eda existido la posibilidad de que otros posibles reclamantes del bitcoin tuvieran un derecho leg\u00edtimo frente a los demandados.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can be deduced from this outcome<\/a> that although this case has left open a narrow potential route to liability and remedy, the judgment could be seen as highlighting the key concerns that tort and common law may be proving themselves incapable of adapting to new technologies and characteristically international\/cross-border business<\/a> y comercial<\/a> structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, while legislation and regulation are the only viable route – any such legislation and regulation must reflect international cooperation. Unless that cooperation is global<\/a>, it has limited chance of being effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Esto nos lleva a preguntarnos: \u00bfsignifica esto que el bitcoin y otras criptomonedas est\u00e1n fuera del alcance de la legislaci\u00f3n convencional?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The answer is currently being unravelled and it will<\/a> be interesting to see how legal developments in this space will progress in the coming years, particularly considering the recent volatility of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, which may well leave many investors holding a loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For further information contact<\/a> Piers Desser on 020 7613 1402 o\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>correo electr\u00f3nico<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3411,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3410","insight","type-insight","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t