In a landmark statement, the UK Jurisdiction Taskforce of the Lawtech Delivery Panel today set out the recognition of cryptoassets as tradable property, and smart contracts as enforceable agreements under English Law.
The statement is being hailed as a significant step in recognising the legality of smart contracts and the trading of cryptoassets in the UK, with legal certainty no longer proving a barrier to adoption.
By providing investors with increased confidence of their rights, the statement helps to provide a dependable foundation for mainstream utilisation of cryptoassets and smart contracts, says chancellor to the High Court, the Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Vos, chair of the UKJT.
‘‘In legal terms, cryptoassets and smart contracts undoubtedly represent the future," he says. "I hope that the Legal Statement will go a long way towards providing much needed market confidence, legal certainty and predictability in areas that are of great importance to the technological and legal communities and to the global financial services industry.’’
By setting out that smart contracts exist as agreements that can be identified, interpreted and enforced using ordinary and well-established legal principles, the industry now has the certainty needed to push ahead with innovations to revolutionise the legal agreement lifecycle and arbitration processes, he adds.
Jenifer Swallow, director, Lawtech Delivery Panel, comments: "The worldwide smart contract market is expected to reach $300m by 2023 and the World Economic Forum predicts 10% of global GDP will be stored on the blockchain by 2027. It is great to see the adaptability of our common law system to fast-changing technology, demonstrated in this landmark legal statement from the UKJT.”
The legal statement was drafted by Lawrence Akka QC, David Quest QC, Matthew Lavy and Sam Goodman and supported by members of the UKJT, Linklaters LLP and the respondents to a public consultation which included businesses, academics and the wider legal sector.