Legal Status And Regulation Of Crypto-Assets

Abstract

Blockchain and distributed ledger technologies are disrupting the world as we know it. Cryptocurrencies are increasingly been adopted not only by a large number of retail investors but financial institutions and even countries are embracing them. Nonetheless, there is a significant number and types of cryptocurrencies and, their treatment will likely depend on their legal status, use, and nature. Some jurisdictions may equate the legal status of cryptocurrencies to commodities or property, others may consider them to be digital currencies or legal tenders, while others may treat them as securities, financial instruments, or as a different asset class such as digital assets. Consequently, countries may regulate a cryptocurrency in different legal categories and might be overseen by a range of authorities depending on their use case and nature. This article aspires to shed some light on legal grey areas by studying how cryptocurrencies are regulated in a variety of jurisdictions and how their legal status is defined.