Dr Craig Steven Wright & Ors v BTC Core (a partnership) & Ors

Dr Craig Steven Wright & Ors v BTC Core (a partnership) & Ors

Dr Wright has a real prospect of establishing that the Bitcoin File Format is a copyright work fixed by the creation of the first block in the Bitcoin blockchain, as the fixation makes the structure objectively and precisely identifiable, satisfying the statutory and international requirements for copyright subsistence. The High Court erred in holding otherwise and refusing permission to serve out of jurisdiction for the copyright claim.

Parties
Claimant/appellant: Dr Craig Steven Wright; Claimant/appellant: Wright International Investments Limited; Claimant/appellant: Wright International Investments UK Limited; Defendant/respondent: BTC Core (A Partnership); Defendant/respondent: Wladimir Jasper van der Laan; Defendant/respondent: Jonas Schnelli; Defendant/respondent: Pieter Wuille; Defendant/respondent: Marco Patrick Falke; Defendant/respondent: Samuel Dobson; Defendant/respondent: Michael Rohan Ford; Defendant/respondent: Cory Fields; Defendant/respondent: George Michael Dombrowski; Defendant/respondent: Matthew Gregory Corallo; Defendant/respondent: Peter Todd; Defendant/respondent: Gregory Fulton Maxwell; Defendant/respondent: Eric Lombrozo; Defendant/respondent: John Newbery; Defendant/respondent: Peter John Bushnell; Defendant/respondent: Block, Inc.; Defendant/respondent: Spiral BTC, Inc.; Defendant/respondent: Square Up Europe Ltd; Defendant/respondent: Blockstream Corporation Inc.; Defendant/respondent: Chaincode Labs, Inc; Defendant/respondent: Coinbase Global Inc.; Defendant/respondent: CB Payments, Ltd; Defendant/respondent: Coinbase Europe Limited; Defendant/respondent: Coinbase Inc.; Defendant/respondent: Crypto Open Patent Alliance; Defendant/respondent: Squareup International Limited
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
11 September 2024
Procedural Posture
Civil Appeal / Appeal From High Court Order Refusing Permission to Serve Out of Jurisdiction for Copyright Claim
Outcome
Appeal allowed
Legal Topics
Copyright Subsistence, Fixation Requirement, Computer Programs, Blockchain Technology, Jurisdiction to Serve Out, Originality, Literary Works
Intellectual Property Copyright Law Copyright Subsistence Fixation Requirement Computer Programs Blockchain Technology Jurisdiction to Serve Out Originality +1 more

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Parties

Dr Craig Steven Wright

Claimant/appellant

Wright International Investments Limited

Claimant/appellant

Wright International Investments UK Limited

Claimant/appellant

BTC Core (A Partnership)

Defendant/respondent

Wladimir Jasper van der Laan

Defendant/respondent

Jonas Schnelli

Defendant/respondent

Pieter Wuille

Defendant/respondent

Marco Patrick Falke

Defendant/respondent

Samuel Dobson

Defendant/respondent

Michael Rohan Ford

Defendant/respondent

Cory Fields

Defendant/respondent

George Michael Dombrowski

Defendant/respondent

Matthew Gregory Corallo

Defendant/respondent

Peter Todd

Defendant/respondent

Gregory Fulton Maxwell

Defendant/respondent

Eric Lombrozo

Defendant/respondent

John Newbery

Defendant/respondent

Peter John Bushnell

Defendant/respondent

Block, Inc.

Defendant/respondent

Spiral BTC, Inc.

Defendant/respondent

Square Up Europe Ltd

Defendant/respondent

Blockstream Corporation Inc.

Defendant/respondent

Chaincode Labs, Inc

Defendant/respondent

Coinbase Global Inc.

Defendant/respondent

CB Payments, Ltd

Defendant/respondent

Coinbase Europe Limited

Defendant/respondent

Coinbase Inc.

Defendant/respondent

Crypto Open Patent Alliance

Defendant/respondent

Squareup International Limited

Defendant/respondent

Procedural Posture

Civil Appeal / Appeal From High Court Order Refusing Permission to Serve Out of Jurisdiction for Copyright Claim

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether the Bitcoin File Format is a copyright work under UK law
  2. 2 Whether the requirement of fixation is satisfied for the Bitcoin File Format
  3. 3 Whether the High Court erred in refusing permission to serve out of jurisdiction for the copyright claim

Ratio Decidendi

Dr Wright has a real prospect of establishing that the Bitcoin File Format is a copyright work fixed by the creation of the first block in the Bitcoin blockchain, as the fixation makes the structure objectively and precisely identifiable, satisfying the statutory and international requirements for copyright subsistence. The High Court erred in holding otherwise and refusing permission to serve out of jurisdiction for the copyright claim.

Court Disposition

Appeal allowed

Orders

  • Permission to serve the claim form out of the jurisdiction in respect of the copyright claim in the Bitcoin File Format is granted.