Crypto Open Patent Alliance v Wright (Rev1) [2023] EWHC 1894 (Ch) (25 July 2023)

Crypto Open Patent Alliance v Wright (Rev1) [2023] EWHC 1894 (Ch) (25 July 2023)

The identity issue—whether Dr Wright is the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto, i.e. the person who created Bitcoin in 2009—will be tried as a preliminary issue in the BTC Core Claim. A hybrid approach is adopted: parties willing to be bound by the COPA trial outcome will have their actions stayed; others will participate in the preliminary issue trial at their own risk as to costs. Directions are given for witness statement exchange, expert evidence, technical primers, trial bundles, and skeleton arguments. The timetable is adjusted to allow a three-week extension for Dr Wright's witness statements. Outstanding applications will be determined at a further hearing.

Citation
[2023] EWHC 1894 (Ch)
Parties
Claimant: Crypto Open Patent Alliance; Defendant: Craig Steven Wright; Claimant: Dr Craig Steven Wright; Claimant: Wright International Investments Limited; Defendant: Coinbase Global, Inc.; Defendant: CB Payments, Ltd; Defendant: Coinbase Europe Limited; Defendant: Coinbase, Inc.; Defendant: Payward, Inc.; Defendant: Payward Ltd; Defendant: Payward Ventures, Inc.; Claimant: BTC Core; Claimant: Wladimir Jasper Van Der Laan; Claimant: Jonas Schnelli; Claimant: Pieter Wuille; Claimant: Marco Patrick Falke; Claimant: Samuel Dobson; Claimant: Michael Rohan Ford; Claimant: Cory Fields; Claimant: George Michael Dombrowski; Claimant: Matthew Gregory Corallo; Claimant: Peter Todd; Claimant: Gregory Fulton Maxwell; Claimant: Eric Lombrozo; Claimant: John Newbery; Claimant: Peter John Bushnell; Claimant: Block, Inc.; Claimant: Spiral BTC, Inc.; Claimant: Squareup Europe Ltd; Claimant: Blockstream Corporation Inc.; Claimant: Chaincode Labs, Inc; Claimant: Coinbase GLOBA Inc.; Claimant: CB Payments, Ltd; Claimant: Coinbase Europe Limited; Claimant: Coinbase Inc.; Claimant: Squareup International Limited
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
25 July 2023
Procedural Posture
Case Management Conference (cmc) / Pre Trial Directions and Preliminary Issue Determination
Outcome
Hybrid approach adopted; preliminary issue trial ordered; partial stay granted; timetable directions issued.
Legal Topics
Identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, Preliminary Issue Trial, Case Management, Passing Off, Copyright Subsistence, Expert Evidence, Costs Directions
Intellectual Property Civil Procedure Identity of Satoshi Nakamoto Preliminary Issue Trial Case Management Passing Off Copyright Subsistence Expert Evidence +1 more

Case Brief

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Parties

Crypto Open Patent Alliance

Claimant

Craig Steven Wright

Defendant

Dr Craig Steven Wright

Claimant

Wright International Investments Limited

Claimant

Coinbase Global, Inc.

Defendant

CB Payments, Ltd

Defendant

Coinbase Europe Limited

Defendant

Coinbase, Inc.

Defendant

Payward, Inc.

Defendant

Payward Ltd

Defendant

Payward Ventures, Inc.

Defendant

BTC Core

Claimant

Wladimir Jasper Van Der Laan

Claimant

Jonas Schnelli

Claimant

Pieter Wuille

Claimant

Marco Patrick Falke

Claimant

Samuel Dobson

Claimant

Michael Rohan Ford

Claimant

Cory Fields

Claimant

George Michael Dombrowski

Claimant

Matthew Gregory Corallo

Claimant

Peter Todd

Claimant

Gregory Fulton Maxwell

Claimant

Eric Lombrozo

Claimant

John Newbery

Claimant

Peter John Bushnell

Claimant

Block, Inc.

Claimant

Spiral BTC, Inc.

Claimant

Squareup Europe Ltd

Claimant

Blockstream Corporation Inc.

Claimant

Chaincode Labs, Inc

Claimant

Coinbase GLOBA Inc.

Claimant

CB Payments, Ltd

Claimant

Coinbase Europe Limited

Claimant

Coinbase Inc.

Claimant

Squareup International Limited

Claimant

Procedural Posture

Case Management Conference (cmc) / Pre Trial Directions and Preliminary Issue Determination

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Should the identity issue (whether Dr Wright is Satoshi Nakamoto) be tried as a preliminary issue in all four actions or should a stay be granted in the later three actions pending outcome of the COPA claim?
  2. 2 How should the identity issue be defined for the purposes of the preliminary issue?
  3. 3 What directions should be given to accommodate the outcome of the procedural and identity issues?

Ratio Decidendi

The identity issue—whether Dr Wright is the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto, i.e. the person who created Bitcoin in 2009—will be tried as a preliminary issue in the BTC Core Claim. A hybrid approach is adopted: parties willing to be bound by the COPA trial outcome will have their actions stayed; others will participate in the preliminary issue trial at their own risk as to costs. Directions are given for witness statement exchange, expert evidence, technical primers, trial bundles, and skeleton arguments. The timetable is adjusted to allow a three-week extension for Dr Wright's witness statements. Outstanding applications will be determined at a further hearing.

Court Disposition

Hybrid approach adopted; preliminary issue trial ordered; partial stay granted; timetable directions issued.

Orders

  • Trial of preliminary issue in BTC Core Claim: whether Dr Wright is Satoshi Nakamoto.
  • Stay of actions for parties undertaking to be bound by COPA trial outcome.