# UK Aide Pays Confiscation Order as 61,000 BTC Fight Continues

By Riza Dagoc

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/regulation/36698
Published: 2026-10-21T13:19:13.000Z
Updated: 2026-10-21T13:19:13.000Z
Section: Regulation

> A judge ruled that investors must establish ownership under Chinese law before their claims over the seized Bitcoin can proceed.

Malaysia's Hok Seng Ling has paid a UK confiscation order in full, while a London court fight over more than 61,000 Bitcoin (BTC) seized by British police turns on whether investors can prove ownership under Chinese law.

Most of Ling's payment consisted of crypto assets seized when he was arrested. Ling was sentenced to four years and 11 months in prison for money laundering in connection with the case involving Zhimin Qian.

The separate High Court dispute concerns what should happen to the seized BTC and gains from its appreciation. Lawyers for nearly 130,000 investors oppose the UK Treasury keeping that increase in value.

A judge ruled last week that the investors' claims are governed by Chinese law, requiring them first to establish a legal right to the Bitcoin under China's current framework. The ruling raises an additional hurdle for claimants seeking the seized assets or their gains.

The dispute over who should receive the seized Bitcoin's appreciation remains unresolved.