The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation recognized cryptocurrency as a subject of theft - ForkLog

# The Supreme Court of Russia Recognized Cryptocurrency as an Object of Theft

On June 16, the Plenum of the Supreme Court (SC) of Russia made amendments to the 2002 resolution on judicial practice in cases of theft, robbery, and assault. Digital rubles, digital rights, and digital currency were added to the list of objects of theft, RAPSI reports.

Separately, the SC clarified the point at which the theft of non-cash funds is considered to be completed — the crime is deemed complete from the moment the money is debited from the victim’s account.

When qualifying theft from a bank account or electronic money, the court must recognize as the subject of such a crime only non-cash funds held in accounts or electronic money.

If the money of one victim is stolen through multiple consecutive debits, but the actions are united by a single intent, this should be regarded as one continuing offense.

The Plenum approved the document unanimously.

Every year, more than 26,000 people in Russia are convicted for theft from a bank account or in relation to electronic money, TASS reported, citing judicial statistics.

This is not the first Supreme Court of Russia resolution concerning cryptocurrencies. Recall that in June 2023, the SC recognized the conversion of bitcoins into rubles as money laundering, and in May 2024 it required checking the ownership of crypto wallets when considering cases.