The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation has definitively recognized cryptocurrency as an object of theft: a new precedent in the digital economy
On June 16, the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation unanimously approved landmark changes to the 2002 ruling regulating judicial practice in cases of theft, robbery, and assault. From now on, the official list of items subject to theft includes digital rubles, digital rights, and digital currency. This decision fundamentally changes the legal landscape for crypto asset owners in Russia.
Key Legal Nuances
The Supreme Court also clarified the moment when the theft of non-cash funds is considered complete: the crime is deemed finished from the moment the money is debited from the victim's account. When qualifying theft from a bank account or electronic funds, courts are now required to recognize only non-cash funds in accounts or electronic money as the subject of such a crime.
Special attention is paid to the mechanism of multiple thefts: if funds from one victim are stolen through several successive debits, but the actions are united by a single intent, this should be considered a single continuing crime. This is an important nuance for investigating complex cybercrimes.
Scale of the Problem
The statistics are striking: annually in Russia, more than 26,000 people are convicted for theft from a bank account or involving electronic funds. The new ruling significantly expands the jurisdiction of courts regarding cryptocurrency transactions.
Continuity of Judicial Practice
This is not the first step by the Supreme Court towards regulating the crypto sphere. In June 2023, the Supreme Court recognized the conversion of bitcoins into rubles as money laundering, and in May 2024, it mandated checking the ownership of crypto wallets when considering cases. The new ruling logically completes this legal trilogy.
Expert commentary from Cryptalist: Including digital currency in the list of items subject to theft is not just a formality, but a signal to the market. Law enforcement now has a clear tool for qualifying crimes involving cryptocurrencies, which will inevitably lead to an increase in the number of criminal cases. However, the question remains open: how will courts prove ownership rights to anonymous crypto assets? For now, law enforcement practice in this area resembles playing chess blindfolded — the rules exist, but visibility is limited.