Is stealing Bitcoin illegal?

[realm]

As long as bitcoin is not regulated , no it is not illegal. However it is highly unethical and I wouldn't do it! Furthermore , what if in the future there are some kind of bitcoin laws and they are able to track the address back to you? Would you take that risk? If this happened to me I would definitely destroy the address and the seed that I created, I don't think it's worth my freedom and dignity. A steal is always a steal.

Okay, how about the following situation. You stumble upon a wallet that has 50 BTC in it and hasn't been used for years, forgotten. Would you still destroy the seed?

Theoretically yes, but to be honest I don't really know. That much money can change your life. My choice would mostly depend of my life's quality by that time. An other parameter you have to think about, is the harm you would do to bitcoin itself and therefore to your own money. If the amount we are talking about is big and the news get known, it could be a big hit to bitcoin.

[Adriandmen]

As long as bitcoin is not regulated , no it is not illegal. However it is highly unethical and I wouldn't do it! Furthermore , what if in the future there are some kind of bitcoin laws and they are able to track the address back to you? Would you take that risk? If this happened to me I would definitely destroy the address and the seed that I created, I don't think it's worth my freedom and dignity. A steal is always a steal.

Okay, how about the following situation. You stumble upon a wallet that has 50 BTC in it and hasn't been used for years, forgotten. Would you still destroy the seed?

Theoretically yes, but to be honest I don't really know. That much money can change your life. My choice would mostly depend of my life's quality by that time. An other parameter you have to think about, is the harm you would do to bitcoin itself and therefore to your own money. If the amount we are talking about is big and the news get known, it could be a big hit to bitcoin.

Just a fun fact, a lot of the wallets in the beginning of the bitcoin have ~50 BTC and aren't used for years.

This is an example: https://blockchain.info/address/15yN7NPEpu82sHhB6TzCW5z5aXoamiKeGy.

[justspare]

Any stealing act for anything to anyone is still illegal wether it is online pr not.All stealing avt is considered a crime as long as you dont have permissions of the real owner

Yeah exactly. Stealing in any form is illegal. That is really common sense so I thought that you would know that. You would be very hard to track down though, so you shouldn't really be worried as it also has a very low chance of occurring.

[dihari]

If you stealing bitcoin in a country where bitcoin is illegal to use, that's not illegal. It is legal because that country doesn't have responsibility with the crime that can't be prove.

But maybe it is an immoral attitude.

[qiman]

I would consider stealing of any kind illegal because stealing is stealing, but say you find a 5 dollar note on the ground and you have no clue who it belongs to then that is a grey area, but with bitcoin there must be a transaction i.d so the amount must be traceable to the owner, that's what I would think anyway.

[Xester]

Let's say I generate a new address and by some miracle it has Bitcoin already in it belonging to somebody else. Is it legal to just take it? I understand those odds are very low, no need to lecture me, I'm just interested.

Stealing bitcoins is illegal. Since stealing is considered illegal.
But what you are saying is not stealing since you did not take it from someone it just an accident and also you don't know who owns or how it went there.
Lastly it is impossible to happen and can never occur since there are no duplication of wallets

[RobinHoodster]

Stealing stays stealing no matter what you steal if it is not yours and you take it then it is stealing which is illegal even tho it is about the Bitcoin.
Do not steal because it is not a good thing you are never going to know that person feel unless somebody steels from you.

[Sarthak]

Is stealing Bitcoin illegal?

While I read the topic, I was like 'wtf did I just read  '. Maybe you should make the topic a bit more clear?

Well, if you generate an address and some coins were already there and you use those coins, then it's illegal.

Let's make this even more simple.
Suppose, you generate a private key and somehow it turns out to be the private key of a very large exchange. You transfer those coins to your address. Then the exchange announces that it got hacked and will take legal steps against you. So there you have it, it's illegal

[rinhunter]

Let's say I generate a new address and by some miracle it has Bitcoin already in it belonging to somebody else. Is it legal to just take it? I understand those odds are very low, no need to lecture me, I'm just interested.

I think it's not stealing, because you didn't do anything. If you feel stealing from it, who is to blame?
If it happens.. Take it, dont worry, its legal.
And in the blockchain system, i think it will not happen, because total of bitcoin addresses it's a lot.

[OrangeII]

Let's say I generate a new address and by some miracle it has Bitcoin already in it belonging to somebody else. Is it legal to just take it? I understand those odds are very low, no need to lecture me, I'm just interested.

I think it's not stealing, because you didn't do anything. If you feel stealing from it, who is to blame?
If it happens.. Take it, dont worry, its legal.
And in the blockchain system, i think it will not happen, because total of bitcoin addresses it's a lot.

yes, it is legal if it happens like that, but if you intentionally take someone from walletnya bitcoin, it was called a thief and it is clearly illegal. it's the same as taking money in the bank without anyone in mind. of course it was very dangerous and of course the money you get is illegal. maybe you'd better not do that

[abugseuf]

If you stealing bitcoin in a country where bitcoin is illegal to use, that's not illegal. It is legal because that country doesn't have responsibility with the crime that can't be prove.

But maybe it is an immoral attitude.

no it is still not good if you are stealing bitcoin in such a country where it is illegal. i think it morally not good. if  you are stealing bitcoin in such a country where it is illegal then why are yo stealing it. is it not illegal for you to to use it or to keep it in such country.

[Anon_7716]

Stealing stays stealing no matter what you steal if it is not yours and you take it then it is stealing which is illegal even tho it is about the Bitcoin.
Do not steal because it is not a good thing you are never going to know that person feel unless somebody steels from you.

Of course, stealing is illegal and the closest thing it can harm people who become victims. Theft is a crime that has no sense of social good. Don't ever steal though was in critical condition, look for a better way and does not pose a big problem later on

[X-ray]

Is stealing Bitcoin illegal?

While I read the topic, I was like 'wtf did I just read  '. Maybe you should make the topic a bit more clear?

it's what people called clickbait  

Just a fun fact, a lot of the wallets in the beginning of the bitcoin have ~50 BTC and aren't used for years.

This is an example: https://blockchain.info/address/15yN7NPEpu82sHhB6TzCW5z5aXoamiKeGy.

then the bitcoin will just lost and can't be reclaimed? it's such a waste,if it could be used to replace every blocks mining fees that'd be great

[MWesterweele]

Any stealing act for anything to anyone is still illegal wether it is online pr not.All stealing avt is considered a crime as long as you dont have permissions of the real owner

yeah I agree. we're not allowed to take something without the owner's permission. just imagine if other people steal something from you. it should be bad for you. so if I were you, I wouldn't steal anything.

Yeah stealing any kind of things that without permission of the owner is illegal but in the case of the Op. He/She said that he generate new bitcoin address and received some bitcoin thats not illegal because he/she didnt get it for himself/herself so it is like money that fall in some place and he find it without knowing who is the owner of that money. So in that case it is not stealing .

[neochiny]

It not illegal, but it's your choice what to do with it, use it or leave doesn't matter no one will see
no one will care, unless you have a big mouth and boasting about it. i may sound harsh but it is
the truth

[bapparabi]

Yes when u say stealing then yes its illegal.And bitcoin is a currency its also a money so stealing it surely illegal but what you are talking about is don’t think gonna happen.The chance to that happen is very very less.

[takingthis4]

Let's say I generate a new address and by some miracle it has Bitcoin already in it belonging to somebody else. Is it legal to just take it? I understand those odds are very low, no need to lecture me, I'm just interested.

Well, the probability of that happening would be close to transformation of your clothes in the washing machine into packs of US Dollars. Is that a forgery of bank bills? I don't know,  it's better to consult a lawyer.

well that was a bad comparison... though i must agree that it is nearly impossible (its so hard that we can say that it is impossible actually) to generate the same address so dont worry about it

[benjaminmason]

of course its illegal, not only for bitcoin, but for everything

[diodio5]

of course its illegal, not only for bitcoin, but for everything

Lol yeah i think although bitcoin does not have any law or any rule relating to government bitcoin I think stealing is illegal activity you know because you've hurt others. so avoid stealing because it will harm you. you will only find only temporary profit

[ivanst776]

Let's say I generate a new address and by some miracle it has Bitcoin already in it belonging to somebody else. Is it legal to just take it? I understand those odds are very low, no need to lecture me, I'm just interested.

To generate a new address (having the same private key as someone else) the chances are very low, I was thinking similar to you when i tried to generate new vanity bitcoin addresses, but there are lots of combination that the percentage is very very low. But if you are very lucky then spending these money are illegal, I consider the same as spending money from someone's purse.