Thailand Supreme Court Recognizes Bitcoin as Legal Property in Landmark Ruling

Thailand's Supreme Court has officially classified Bitcoin as legal property, establishing binding legal protections and restitution frameworks for victims of cryptocurrency crime. The landmark decision stemmed from a September 2022 violent robbery on Koh Samui, where five foreign individuals were sentenced to 10 years in prison for coercing a victim to transfer 2.480801 BTC, worth around $50,000 (1.878 million THB). The full-bench ruling determined that Bitcoin qualifies as property because it can be owned, transferred, and converted into cash, though it confirmed Bitcoin is not legal tender.