Crypto news

Russia's judicial system has taken a fundamental step in regulating digital assets. The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation has officially included the digital ruble, digital currency, and digital rights in the list of items that can be objects of theft. The corresponding clarification was enshrined in an updated resolution of the Plenum of the Supreme Court, dedicated to criminal cases of theft, robbery, and armed robbery. The document was adopted at a special session chaired by Igor Krasnov.

For the entire domestic cryptocurrency industry, this clarification is of immense importance. Legally, it effectively establishes that any digital assets now fall under full criminal legal protection on par with traditional material forms of property.

What is now officially recognized as an object of crime

The highest judicial authority has detailed the list of valuables that may be unlawfully seized during theft, robbery, armed robbery, or other similar property crimes. Thus, the updated list includes:

• physical items;
• cash funds;
• documentary securities;
• other movable and immovable property.

To the latter category, the court directly added non-cash funds, including digital rubles, non-documentary securities, digital rights, and digital currency.

Thanks to this decision, the digital ruble, representing the third form of national currency from the Bank of Russia, is now unequivocally considered a legitimate object for qualifying theft. A similar legal approach now applies to cryptocurrency and any digital rights.

At what moment does the crime occur

Separately, in its resolution, the Supreme Court clarified the exact timing. A criminal offense is considered completed directly from the moment assets are debited from the victim's account. The point is that it is then that the perpetrator actually gains a real opportunity to dispose of the stolen property.

Furthermore, the highest judicial body described in detail the legal situation with several consecutive debits. For example, if one victim's savings are withdrawn in parts, in several transactions, but all the perpetrator's actions are united by a single intent, the act is qualified as one continuing crime, rather than a series of separate criminal episodes.

According to official judicial statistics, more than 26,000 people are consistently convicted annually in Russia for thefts from bank accounts or involving electronic funds.

Analyst's opinion: This decision is not just a formality, but a powerful signal for the entire market. Establishing digital assets as an object of criminal legal protection creates a precedent and increases the level of security for cryptocurrency holders. However, in practice, the effectiveness of protection will depend on the ability of law enforcement agencies to track and record such crimes in a decentralized environment.