$13.3B BSV Legal Battle Collapses—But Binance Isn’t Out of the Woods Yet

Binance dodges a $13.3 billion bullet as the BSV lawsuit implodes—only to face fresh regulatory grenades lobbed its way. Just another day in crypto’s ’wild west’ era, where the house always wins... until it doesn’t.

Regulators sharpen knives: While the exchange breathes a sigh of relief, watchdogs circle with new compliance demands. Because nothing says ’financial innovation’ like paperwork and legal fees.

TLDR

• The UK Court of Appeal dismissed most of a $13.3 billion lawsuit against Binance related to the BSV delisting.
• The court ruled that speculative losses based on future price growth are not legally recoverable.
• Binance and other exchanges were accused of working together to damage Bitcoin SV’s market potential.
• The court stated that cryptocurrencies are volatile and should be treated like tradable financial assets.
• Only smaller claims involving direct losses or access issues with BSV may still proceed.

The UK Court of Appeal has partially dismissed a $13.3 billion lawsuit against Binance and other exchanges. The case involved allegations of anti-competitive conduct surrounding the 2019 delisting of Bitcoin SV (BSV). Binance successfully challenged the claim, with the court rejecting a large portion related to speculative financial losses.

Bitcoin SV Claims Limited by Court Ruling

Binance and several other platforms faced claims from holders of BSV seeking damages for alleged loss of potential value. The plaintiffs argued that Binance’s removal of BSV limited the coin’s chance to grow like Bitcoin or Bitcoin Cash. They claimed $13.3 billion in damages, 352 times the value of BSV held at the time.

The court found this claim unsustainable, stressing that BSV had viable substitutes and lacked uniqueness in the market. It ruled that holders cannot base losses on hypothetical growth of unrelated tokens. Binance and others were not liable for market events after the delisting became public.

The court applied the market mitigation rule to dismiss claims based on future price speculation. It emphasized that crypto tokens are volatile and similar to shares and other tradable financial assets. The ruling confirmed that damages must reflect actual loss, not missed opportunities from possible market movement.

Binance and Others Face Reduced Legal Exposure

The ruling limited Binance’s legal risk and significantly reduced the potential payout. Binance, along with Kraken, ShapeShift, and Bittylicious, were accused of delisting BSV to damage its value. However, the court decided that these platforms could not be blamed for post-delisting investment actions.

The case’s scope was narrowed, and only limited access and sale timing claims remain viable. Those who could not access or sell BSV immediately after the delisting may still have a case. However, the court ruled that losses must be concrete and measurable.

Binance argued that the claimants retained ownership of BSV and could act freely after the delisting event. The court agreed, stating that knowledge of delisting removed any responsibility from Binance and the others. This significantly undermined the larger claim for damages.

Smaller Claims Against Binance May Proceed

Although the main claim was struck down, some smaller claims against Binance may continue through the courts. These include cases where users could not access their BSV following the delisting action. Some also sold quickly and recorded immediate, quantifiable losses.

These claims could proceed under a revised legal framework, with a much lower total exposure. The UK court stressed that only the pre-delisting value and proven additional losses could be claimed. Binance remains involved but with reduced liability and no obligation to cover projected gains.

Meanwhile, Binance continues to dominate crypto trading, with Dune Analytics reporting over $5 billion in daily wallet volume. The UK is also increasing regulatory oversight, mandating detailed transaction reporting from 2026. Binance and others must comply with growing legal and regulatory scrutiny across the crypto industry.