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ARTICLE · 19 MAY 2026

Cryptoassets, Conversion And The Limits Of Available Remedies

Lewis Silkin
Lewis Silkin
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Lewis Silkin

Lewis Silkin

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The High Court's decision in Ping Fai Yuen v Fun Yung Li & Anor examines whether traditional tort law, specifically conversion and trespass to goods, can apply to cryptoassets like Bitcoin.

United KingdomLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Leo Meredith
Leo Meredith
Nicola Thompson
Nicola Thompson
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In this article, Leo Meredith, Ivana Mensah and Nicola Thompson of Lewis Silkin examine the important decision in Ping Fai Yuen v Fun Yung Li & Anor [2026] EWHC 532 (KB), which clarifies the limited application of traditional tort law to cryptoassets.

This article first appeared on the Practical Law Dispute Resolution column on 18 May 2026. Reproduced from Practical Law with the permission of the publishers. For further information visit www.practicallaw.com.

The High Court's decision in Ping Fai Yuen v Fun Yung Li & Anor [2026] EWHC 532 (KB) provides important clarification on the interaction between traditional tort law and emerging digital assets. Whilst cryptoassets such as Bitcoin can constitute property under English law, the decision laid bare the limits of tortious causes of action, in particular the tort of conversion, with regard to such assets.

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