Chinese Court Sentences Man to 10 Years 9 Months for Stealing 107 Bitcoin, Rules Cryptocurrency Is Property

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According to ChainCatcher citing Shandong Legal Daily, a court in Qingdao, China sentenced a man surnamed Zhang to 10 years and 9 months in prison for stealing 107 Bitcoin from a victim in 2024. The defendant obtained the victim's wallet recovery phrase while assisting with wallet setup, then accessed and transferred the Bitcoin—valued at approximately 22.54 million yuan at the time of theft. Prosecutors traced the stolen Bitcoin through multiple transfers and conversions, recovering about 660,000 yuan. The court ruled that Bitcoin possesses economic value and exclusive control characteristics, meeting the legal definition of property under Chinese criminal law and therefore can be subject to theft charges. The defendant's appeal was dismissed in November 2025, affirming the original judgment.
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