Is owning bitcoin a crime?

[Tiklohor]

bitcoin is not a crime. how money can be a crime. you write your questions more correctly

[sashulya7979]

Of course, there are not those who buy bitcoin do not carry illegal actions and can safely buy and sell without any punishments

[Red-Apple]

No

/thread

the correct answer actually depends on where you live!
for instance there are 2 maybe 3 countries out of 40+ countries that have actually banned bitcoin. countries such as Bangladesh and if you live in these countries owning bitcoin is in fact a crime. but the rest of the world it is not!

[s0beit]

Possesses bitcoin as well as holding a gun  
http://bitcoinnews.com/cryptocurrencies-gun-crime-canada/

I believe no because holding a bitcoin is like holding money as well and it is what we could use to buy our daily necessities. Having it depends on how we responsibly handle it. The way we spend and use it matters to our living. It is not a crime to hold bitcoin but it is actually a blessing.

[eternalgloom]

The article doesn't even state that owning Bitcoin is a crime, it just mentions that it's used often for criminal activity on the internet.
This isn't even newsworthy, everything that's mentioned in the article is stuff that has been written down before in other articles. Not exactly new stuff..

They will probably use this to impose tighter regulations though.

[batang_bitcoin]

The title is misleading of this thread and as well as the title of the article. I agree with what eternalgloom said that the article doesn't says anything about that having a bitcoin is a crime. The article is tackling about the illegal use of bitcoin and taking down the biggest dark market which is silk road. And by reading the last words in the article it says that both bitcoin and dollar should be accountable and treated as the same with these illegal trades.

[andrei214]

Possesses bitcoin as well as holding a gun 
http://bitcoinnews.com/cryptocurrencies-gun-crime-canada/

Possessing bitcoin is not a crime unless you uses it to commit crimes and doing any bad things that could make it illegal.If you use it for your own or other goods and you uses it in good way, theres nothing to worry about.

[noelanora99]

It's not owning a bitcoin that makes it a crime, it's how one use it. Although there's no denying that it could use in a crime, it's still depend on a person's conscience and self moral to make those decisions.

[alphaomega.f]

depends on the country you reside in. some government consider any bitcoin-related activity as illegal, so it is a crime and many people are now in jail because they've been caught mining or trading and now they are charged of what they call "money laundering". some consider it as legal and even pushes people to use bitcoin, but some countries still have no say about bitcoin.

[Johnny Lgz]

Is holding a money a crime? Since I can buy gun too with it!!!!
Duh, this topic made my blood burn a little today, if you hold bitcoin in a country that ban it then it is a crime, oppositely on countries who allowed it, it does become crime when you use it to crime but if you use it to help and earn then its only logical purpose.

[Lodipetmalu]

We can not consider owning a bitcoin as a crime since the government of our country doesn't prohibits it nor put it as an illegal. Also there is no crime motive of owning a bitcoin, it has no bad effect to everyone.

[audaciousbeing]

Possesses bitcoin as well as holding a gun 
http://bitcoinnews.com/cryptocurrencies-gun-crime-canada/

To say holding bitcoin is illegal is same way to say everyone who owns gun in the US is doing so illegally but that is not it. In the contest of the law, it's what its being used for that makes it illegal or legal. It is then safe to say that the end use of bitcoin just like any form of currency would decide whether its legal or illegal. For someone who hold bitcoin and donate to charity, that wouldn't be a crime at all but based on the article that emphasis is laid only on the negative sides of holding bitcoin, we can conclude that its purely illegal and anyone caught should be made to face the full force of the law.

[Juggy777]

Possesses bitcoin as well as holding a gun 
http://bitcoinnews.com/cryptocurrencies-gun-crime-canada/

Hell no this stupid media people won't let us the community have peace and it's absurd to the the length they'll slip to. This all is done at the behest of white collar bankers who're running scared as bitcoins is biting into their commission and I'm proud owner of whatever bitcoins I have. Do not fall for this fud ignore them

[dado7]

Your question should actually be - is it moral?
Even holding a gun is considered legal if you have a license, however, I would highly doubt considering it moral unless you were a hunter... some people even doubt that, but I think we will never get to the bottom of what should really be considered moral and what should not...

Some things are fairly easy though.

Bitcoin is considered legal, and furthermore, I would say it should also be considered highly moral. Blockchain and Bitcoin were developed because their creator (or creators) was very dissatisfied with the way the current financial systems work. Primary emission of money is controlled by private bankers, distribution is very inefficient and institutions like Wall Street, S&P, Moody's or Fitch have enough power to control the financial system in such way that they can even create and end financial crisis (deliberately or not). If you are all for a system that has a purpose of making a financial system fairer, I would say you are on a more moral side of the things.....

[jakelyson]

There are countries who declared bitcoin illegal. There are some who wants to regulate bitcoin and have laws concerning it. There are countries who consider bitcoin legal. Now, what country do you belong? If it is not illegal in your country, then it you can hold all the bitcoins you want without any concern.

[tannerchum]

Owning a bitcoin is not a crime and likely it cannot do anything that people might hurt. Bitcoin is a job a huge hope for unemployed and even employed people who took a looked for an investment as an income for today and for the future. Even though bitcoin is not yet stable bit it is an advantages for the sake of others who really in need. So it means people is very useful.

[Dudeperfect]

In my country there is no law that prohibits us from holding or using cryptocurrencies but it is crime to use Bitcoin/any other thing with the intention to evade tax or to get involved with the illegitimate activities.

There is misconception among newbies that no one can track their crypto activity but in fact, government can find you if you are conducting any crime with it.

* Woman busted sending thousands in bitcoin to ISIS.

Using Bitcoin for general purpose is not legal but that's not illegal too so things are still in the gray area in most of the countries.

[josephine85]

Of course not. It is not a crime, but, it is an opportunity instead. It gives you chance of getting rich if you will know already the business. To others, owning a btc is a blessing. A friend of mine becomes now financially stable since he joined the Bitcoin community.

[AlexAtom]

Possesses bitcoin as well as holding a gun 
http://bitcoinnews.com/cryptocurrencies-gun-crime-canada/

wrong analogy. how can bitcoin treated same as gun ?
you can kill people by owning a bitcoin ? no.
with bitcoin, you can invest your funds for the future. with guns? you can shoot peoples.

[exul]

Bitcoin is nothing but an alternative currency. Governments may not give their 100% support on it, that doesn’t make it illegal. Yeah one or two Governments have banned Bitcoin in their countries, still that doesn’t mean it’s a crime to hold Coins. Nope, it’s not any crime.