US Court Greenlights Sale of $6.5B in Seized Silk Road Bitcoin
The U.S. government has received court approval to liquidate 69,370 Bitcoin, valued at approximately $6.5 billion, that was seized from the Silk Road marketplace. This decision by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg ends a lengthy legal challenge regarding the forfeiture of the seized assets. The ruling confirms previous indications from last October that the government could proceed with the sale. Although the approval allows for the liquidation of these Bitcoin assets, the actual process may take time due to various administrative steps and potential appeals. Recently, the Department of Justice had already sold a portion of the seized Bitcoin, worth nearly $2 billion, to Coinbase. The legal battle involved claims from various parties, including Battle Born Investments, which sought to establish ownership through bankruptcy proceedings. The developments arrive amid significant political changes, as newly elected President Donald Trump has shown interest in crypto policy. This case signals one of the most significant government-led crypto liquidations to date, reflecting ongoing tensions and questions surrounding the management of seized cryptocurrency.
Source 🔗