Recommended Free Tools
It is not possible to confirm from the available official case documents that the reported High Court ruling means the UK government is more likely to keep the seized Bitcoin. The Metropolitan Police and Crown Prosecution Service say 61,000 Bitcoin are subject to civil recovery proceedings, but the ruling’s holding, any final recovery order and the treatment of victims’ claims are not established by those documents. The criminal convictions are separate from that civil case.
What is confirmed about the High Court case?
The Metropolitan Police said it seized 61,000 Bitcoin from Zhimin Qian, also known as Yadi Zhang, during an investigation launched in 2018. The police described it as a record-scale cryptocurrency seizure. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) later said the Bitcoin remained subject to civil recovery proceedings in the High Court. Neither the police announcement nor the CPS material establishes the final outcome of those proceedings.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
A headline relayed by A True Mainstream referred to a pivotal High Court ruling, but the underlying report and judgment were not available in the material that could be checked. That means the specific legal question the court decided, its reasoning, and its practical effect cannot be confirmed here. It would be premature to say the government has won the Bitcoin, or that the ruling guarantees it will retain the assets.
In particular, the available documents do not establish whether victims have filed claims in the High Court case, whether any appeal is possible or pending, or how recovered assets would be distributed. Those are distinct questions from whether the Bitcoin was seized and whether criminal defendants were convicted.
#1 Best Overall
- BITCOIN EXCLUSIVE, PHONE VERIFICATION: Bitkey is designed from the ground up exclusively for bitcoin — a dedicated hardware wallet for secure bitcoin storage. Approve transactions with a tap using your phone and NFC. No device screen is required.
- SELF-CUSTODY, NO EXCHANGE OR CUSTODIAN REQUIRED: You hold two of the three keys in the Bitkey system – one on your phone and one on your Bitkey device. The third is stored on Bitkey’s server and cannot move your bitcoin on its own.
- NO SEED PHRASE: Set up and use Bitkey without creating or storing a seed phrase.
- 2-of-3 MULTISIG: Three keys are stored separately across your phone, Bitkey device, and Bitkey’s server. Any two keys are required to move your bitcoin.
- BUILT-IN RECOVERY: Encrypted backup and recovery tools can help you regain access if you lose your phone or Bitkey device. You can also designate a Recovery Contact.
Why seizure, convictions and civil recovery are different
The seizure and criminal case
The police said Qian’s scheme defrauded more than 128,000 victims in China between 2014 and 2017. The CPS has characterized the losses as approximately £600 million. These figures describe the alleged fraud’s losses, not the later market value of the Bitcoin.
Qian pleaded guilty in September 2025 to acquiring and possessing criminal property, namely cryptocurrency. Seng Hok Ling pleaded guilty to transferring criminal property. On 11 November 2025, Qian was sentenced to 11 years and eight months in prison and Ling to four years and 11 months, according to the Metropolitan Police announcement and the CPS case study.
Rank #2
- Unparalleled Security: Protect your assets NDA-free EAL 6+ Secure Element, offering robust defense and complete transparency
- Simple & Secure Interface: Manage your digital assets easily with a clear OLED screen for secure on-device confirmations
- Supports 1000s of Coins & Tokens: Securely handle thousands of assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and more, all in one wallet
- Effortless Asset Management: Monitor and transact seamlessly with Trezor Suite, our intuitive desktop and mobile app
- Enhanced Backup Solution: Rest assured with Multi-share Backup, eliminating single points of failure for secure cold wallet recovery
The separate civil proceedings
A criminal sentence punishes an individual for an offence; it does not by itself decide who ultimately receives a separate pool of seized assets. The CPS says Qian’s assets were frozen as part of a civil recovery investigation before the High Court, and that the 61,000 Bitcoin are subject to civil recovery proceedings. Seizure or freezing secures assets while legal processes proceed; neither term, on its own, means a final order has transferred ownership or determined compensation.
The Metropolitan Police’s economic crime chief said the CPS would work to ensure “through criminal confiscation and civil proceedings” that criminal assets remain beyond fraudsters’ reach. That describes the authorities’ stated objective, not a final judicial decision about the Bitcoin or the victims’ entitlement to it.
Rank #3
- Unparalleled Security: Protect your assets with EAL 6+ Secure Element, offering robust defense and complete transparency
- Simple & Secure Interface: Manage your digital assets easily with a clear OLED screen for secure on-device confirmations
- Supports 1000s of Coins & Tokens: Securely handle thousands of assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and more, all in one wallet
- Effortless Asset Management: Monitor and transact seamlessly with Trezor Suite, our intuitive desktop and mobile app
- Enhanced Backup Solution: Multi-share Backup eliminates single points of failure for secure cold wallet recovery
Why reports give very different Bitcoin values
The figures refer to different dates and measures, so they should not be treated as competing estimates of one current value.
| Figure | What it describes | Source and qualification |
|---|---|---|
| More than £5.5 billion | Value attributed to the 61,000 Bitcoin | Metropolitan Police, September 2025 announcement; value at that time, not a live market quote. |
| About £300 million | Value of the 61,000 Bitcoin at the time of seizure | CPS Annual Report and Accounts 2025–2026 case study. |
| More than £1.5 billion | Value of cryptocurrency in Qian’s possession when police recovered it | Sentencing remarks describe recovery between June 2021 and September 2025 and caution that Bitcoin volatility makes valuation date-dependent. |
| Approximately £600 million | Estimated losses from the underlying fraud | CPS case study; this is a loss estimate, not the Bitcoin’s value. |
The judge’s sentencing remarks put the valuation problem plainly: “All agree the volatility of Bitcoin means that determination of value is not a straightforward exercise.” The sentencing remarks therefore should not be read as a current price quotation or a final valuation for any civil recovery order.
Rank #4
- Dual-chip architecture for maximum protection: The next-gen, fully auditable TROPIC01 chip works alongside a certified EAL6+ Secure Element—completely NDA-free—to deliver radically transparent, industry-leading defense against physical attacks.
- Quantum-ready security: Get protection against future threats with the first-ever hardware wallet designed with quantum-ready architecture.
- See every detail with confidence: Our largest high-resolution color touchscreen makes it easy to navigate your assets, review transactions and manage your coins with clarity.
- Wireless freedom with encrypted Bluetooth control: Manage, buy, swap and stake securely using Trezor Suite on desktop or mobile. Qi2-compatible wireless charging keeps your Trezor powered up. No cables required—security meets convenience.
- Works seamlessly with Android, iOS and desktop: Connect wirelessly or via USB-C to your phone or computer. Manage your crypto anywhere with our companion Trezor Suite app.
What the separate £5.6 million order against Ling means
In January 2026, the CPS reported a confiscation order of £5,603,305.81 against Ling. That order concerns Ling; it is not a valuation of, or final order over, Qian’s 61,000 Bitcoin. The CPS announcement describes the distinct measure as aimed at recovering money from a convicted money launderer. It does not resolve the civil recovery proceedings concerning the larger Bitcoin holding.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Can victims claim the Bitcoin, and what happens next?
The case materials establish neither that individual victims will receive a share of the Bitcoin nor that they are excluded from any recovery. They do not set out a claims process, award, or distribution plan. A final answer depends on the civil proceedings and any orders made in them; it cannot be inferred from the convictions, seizure, or Ling’s confiscation order.
Best Value
- Effortlessly build your crypto portfolio via the all in one Ledger Wallet app: buy, sell, send, receive, swap, stake and more across popular blockchains. 15,000+ coins & tokens in a single dashboard. Keep a close eye on the market. Compare service providers. Track performance. Get timely alerts. Build your portfolio with confidence.
- Enjoy Bluetooth connectivity, iOS access, and hours of battery use with this mobile-first, secure backup signer. Freedom you can depend on.
- Genuine Check: confirm your signer is authentic during setup with the Ledger Wallet app.
- Protect your signer: keep it in mint condition at all times with a bespoke Pod or Case to avoid scratches and everyday wear and tear.
For the ruling itself, the key information readers would need is the judgment or an authoritative account identifying the court’s decision and explaining its effect on the ongoing civil recovery case. Until that is available, the defensible conclusion is limited: UK authorities seized the Bitcoin and the CPS says civil recovery proceedings are underway, while the final ownership and any compensation remain unresolved in the official materials cited here.
Sources: Metropolitan Police, 29 September 2025; Crown Prosecution Service, 22 January 2026; CPS Annual Report and Accounts 2025–2026 case study; Courts and Tribunals Judiciary sentencing remarks, November 2025.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
