Helen Pugh published in JIBFL: “Not your key, not your coin”: the private key and ownership

Helen Pugh has been published in the April 2026 edition of Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law on “Not your key, not your coin”: the private key and ownership.

Ownership, possession and control of an asset have long been intertwined in the public’s consciousness. Albeit implicitly recognising that a possessory title can be displaced by a superior legal title, the old adage “possession is nine-tenths of the law” remains a popular refrain carrying more than a grain of truth. Following a series of high-profile collapses of crypto custodians in “the crypto winter”, a digital equivalent has emerged: “not your key, not your coin”.

In this article, Helen considers the private key and its role in legal analysis of cryptocurrencies.

Not your key, not your coin”: the private key and ownership

To read the full article published in Butterworths, click here.

Butterworths Journal of International Banking & Financial Law

JIBFL features articles written by experts in their field and include individual barristers, solicitors, academics, judges, and leading firms in relevant areas of practice. It offers authoritative insights into global banking and financial law, providing essential updates for legal practitioners and policymakers. Covering key topics like lending, security interests, derivatives, debt capital markets, banking and finance related disputes, crypto, FinTech and financial regulation, JIBFL serves as a trusted resource for navigating complex legal challenges and staying informed in the financial sector.

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Helen has a heavyweight and diverse commercial and civil fraud practice, much of which has a cross-border element. She is frequently instructed in cases requiring urgent injunctive and ancillary relief and she has been instructed in many of the leading cases in contempt of court arising out of breach of injunctions and disclosure orders. Helen has a particular interest in disputes involving cryptocurrencies and digital assets and is one of a small number at the Bar with case experience in this area.

To find out more about Helen, contact  Dave Lovitt on +44 (0)20 7353 6381 for a confidential discussion.

External Publications, News 20 Apr, 2026