Understanding the Property (Digital Assets etc.) Bill - Implications for Financial Services

Introduction

As the legal landscape continues to evolve in response to technological advancements, staying informed about the implications of the Property (Digital Assets etc.) Act 2025 is crucial for legal practitioners, compliance professionals, and asset managers alike. This session offers an essential overview of the Act, which received Royal Assent and came into force on 2nd December 2025, redefining the scope of personal property in English law to explicitly recognise digital assets, such as crypto-tokens and NFTs, that do not fit traditional legal categories.

The Act confirms that a thing (including a thing that is digital or electronic in nature) is not prevented from being the object of personal property rights merely because it is neither a thing in possession nor a thing in action. You will gain insight into the legal rationale behind the reforms, understand the immediate impact on property rights and asset disputes, and be equipped with practical guidance for navigating this emerging area with confidence. The session will also address common grey areas and provide clear, actionable advice to reduce risk and ensure legal and procedural compliance in a fast-moving digital environment.

What You Will Learn

This short webinar will cover the following:

• Overview of the Property (Digital Assets etc.) Act 2025
• Purpose and scope of the Act
• Legislative status: enacted and in force from 2nd December 2025
• Territorial extent: England and Wales and Northern Ireland
• Key recommendations from the Law Commission underpinning the Act
• Understanding the Legal Framework for Digital Assets
• How the Act removes barriers to recognising digital assets like crypto-tokens and NFTs by confirming they are not prevented from being objects of personal property rights merely because they are neither things in possession nor things in action
• The significance of this enabling provision and its effect on the categorisation of personal property
• How the Act applies to things that are digital or electronic in nature whilst not being limited to them
• Legal and Practical Implications
• Impact on ownership, transfer, enforcement, and dispute resolution involving digital assets
• Relevance for estate planning, insolvency, contractual rights, and asset recovery
• Application to digital assets acquired or held before and after 2nd December 2025
• Practical Guidance and Risk Management
• How to future-proof contracts, trusts, and commercial arrangements involving digital property
• Tips on identifying and categorising digital assets in practice
• Immediate compliance steps for practitioners advising on digital asset matters
• Answering Common Questions and Problem Areas
• Ownership and control: who possesses a digital asset?
• Valuation and transferability challenges
• What to do when digital assets are lost, stolen, or misappropriated
• Consequences of Inaction or Misunderstanding
• Legal exposure and professional liability
• Missed opportunities in advising clients or structuring transactions

This pre-recorded webinar will be available to view from Monday 6th July 2026

Alternatively, you can gain access to this webinar and 2,101 others via the MBL Webinar Subscription. Please email webinarsubscription@mblseminars.com for more details.