Supreme Court of South Korea: Bitcoin in exchanges can be legally seized

On December 11, 2025, the Supreme Court of South Korea ruled that Bitcoin stored in centralized exchanges is subject to seizure under the Criminal Procedure Act. The court upheld the decision to seize 55.6 Bitcoins held by a suspect in a money laundering investigation. The ruling stated that Bitcoin possesses independent manageability, tradability, and economic value.

This ruling means that users of platforms such as Upbit and Bithumb will face clearer legal risks, as criminal assets can be directly frozen or seized on trading platforms.