India’s Top Court Declares Crypto—and XRP—Legal Property Under Indian Law

Madras High Court made a historic ruling and declared cryptocurrencies, such as XRP, a legal property. According to Justice N.Anand Venkatesh, digital assets indicate the ownership clearly. They give individuals the ability to carry, consume, transfer and delegate them. The court provided complete coverage of Indian property legislation to crypto holders.

Background and Legal Foundation of Cases

The ruling was based on a petition of a WazirX customer who lost 3,532.30 XRP in a hack of the platform. The end user sought to be safeguarded by the law and held accountable. The court deemed jurisdiction because the transactions had an Indian account as start and the user had the exchange in India. The judge cited the Income Tax Act of India that recognizes crypto as virtual digital assets. This juridical foundation enhanced the ultimate decision.

The ruling provides XRP owners with great ownership rights. They are now able to sue in instances of theft, fraud or mismanagement by exchanges. The decision also leaves no doubt of responsibility on crypto platforms. Trades should safeguard the properties of users with the same intensity as they do with actual property. Even though it is not yet considered as legal tender, XRP now has a better legal presence in India.

Implication On Regulations and Markets

The investors in India have become more enlightened. The ruling is an indicator of an emerging juridical landscape of the digital property. The more institutions will get involved, as the courts have acknowledged crypto as property. The decision can also encourage regulators to develop more concrete regulations regarding custody, taxation, and tokenized assets. The ruling is an indication of the fast development of India into a formal crypto system. The ruling is temporary and only extends to the particular case. It is not altering national standards yet. T