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A Reading of the High Court of Australia Transcript on the Nature of Cryptocurrency in Poulton v Conrad: Judicial Considerations of Whether a Bitcoin Holding Can Be Possessed and Protected by the Torts of Conversion and Detinue In August 2026, the High Court of Australia heard oral arguments in Poulton v Conrad [2026] HCATrans 44, […]

Introduction: The Collision of Party Autonomy and Public Policy The intersection of international commercial arbitration and corporate insolvency consistently generates profound jurisdictional friction. While arbitration is a private, consensual mechanism governed by party autonomy, corporate insolvency is a collective, statutory procedure rooted in public policy and designed to bind third parties. When a commercial dispute

Introduction The Supreme Court of Victoria’s judgment in Yimiao Australia Pty Ltd v 3V Development Australia Pty Ltd [2026] VSC 133 provides a detailed examination of how established common law and equitable doctrines apply to the unauthorized retention of cryptocurrency mining hardware and the subsequent generation of digital assets. Delivered by Justice Attiwill, the decision

The resolution of commercial disputes through arbitration is often praised for its efficiency and privacy, yet its foundational authority remains strictly tethered to the consent of the parties. Unlike the broad jurisdiction of a court, an arbitrator’s power extends only as far as the written agreement allows. This limitation becomes a critical battleground when complex

The judgment of the Supreme Court of South Australia in EX NF PTY LTD (IN LIQ) & ANOR v MUNNEKE & ORS [2025] SASC 165 (2 October 2025) represents a significant and forensically detailed application of orthodox corporate law principles to the distinct evidentiary challenges posed by digital assets. While the case involved the ownership

In a landmark decision clarifying the relationship between European Union law and public international law obligations, the Federal Court of Australia has delivered a comprehensive judgment in Blasket Renewable Investments LLC v Kingdom of Spain [2025] FCA 1028. Stewart J has ordered the enforcement of four arbitral awards, totalling approximately €500 million, against the Kingdom

In the recent decision of Pacific Diamond 88 Pty Ltd v Tomkins Commercial & Industrial Builders Pty Ltd [2025] QCA 50, the Queensland Court of Appeal offered some illuminating perspectives on how arbitration clauses can interact with (and ultimately safeguard) the parties’ substantive rights when a contract’s payment and security mechanisms are under strain. Although

A recent decision in the Supreme Court of Tasmania, reported as [2025] TASSC 2, provides clear guidance on how principles of possession apply to cryptocurrency. The matter involved an appellant and a respondent who agreed that the appellant would invest ten thousand dollars of the respondent’s money in Bitcoin. A dispute later arose when the

The recent decision in Martinus Rail Pty Ltd v Qube RE Services (No 2) Pty Ltd (No 2) [2024] NSWSC 1223 sheds light on the complex interplay between adjudication under the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (“SOPA”) and arbitration clauses in construction contracts. This case underscores the importance of meticulously drafted

In the recent case of Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Bit Trade Pty Ltd [2024] FCA 953, the Federal Court delivered a pivotal judgment that resonates deeply within the cryptocurrency industry. The court scrutinized the nature of Bit Trade’s “Margin Extension” product, ultimately finding that it constitutes a credit facility under Australian law. This