As reported on the Hunton Insurance Recovery Blog, blockchain technology has been touted as inherently reliable for years. More recently, collectors of NFTs have explored expanded uses for that novel technology. Some courts have bought in and, in doing so, recently authorized a use that perhaps no one had imagined when NFTs first entered the mainstream: service of process.
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Nine Legal Questions You Might Encounter While Doing Business in the Metaverse
The metaverse is brimming with multifaceted, thought-provoking legal issues. What is the connection among blockchain, cryptocurrency, NFTs, and the metaverse? We consider these questions and others in this nine-part series.
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First Ever Trial On NFT Trademark Infringement Finds Against The NFT Creator
On February 8, 2023, a jury in the Southern District of New York reached a verdict finding Mason Rothschild liable for trademark infringement of the Hermes BIRKIN mark when Rothschild advertised and sold a series of “MetaBirkin” non-fungible tokens. The verdict required Mr. Rothschild pay $110,000 for trademark infringement and dilution, as well as $23,000 for cybersquatting on the MetaBirkins domain name.
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Digital Asset Insurance Coverage
In a seven-part series delving into issues relating to insurance coverage for digital assets, we provide a comprehensive understanding of the types of loss that can be sustained, who can sustain them, the availability of coverage under traditional insurance policies, and the emergence of new insurance products.
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NFTs: For Many Retailers, the “N” Stands for Nostalgia
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are creating new economic opportunities in old, familiar spaces. To capitalize on the current popularity of NFTs, some retailers are turning to the timeless art of nostalgia: reworking old media or products into an NFT collection to advertise a brand in an online space or bring new attention (and customers) to a vintage product.
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You’ve Been Served… By NFT?
LCX AG, a cryptocurrency exchange based in Liechtenstein, recently lost nearly $8 million in digital assets from a cyberattack. The perpetrator’s identity was unknown. Through the public ledger, LCX found the blockchain address that received the stolen assets, and quickly filed a complaint in New York to freeze certain of those assets. Without any other way to contact the perpetrator, the court permitted LCX to serve the wallet address with an NFT containing a hyperlink to the required legal notice documents. This may be the first example of service-by-NFT.
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DOJ Announces First NFT Insider Trading Prosecution
On June 1, 2022, the Department of Justice announced its first criminal indictment for insider trading of nonfungible tokens, or NFTs. The case opens yet another front in the Government’s efforts to police the burgeoning marketplace for digital assets and NFTs.
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Dubai Issues Its First Crypto Law Regulating Virtual Assets
On February 28, 2022, the Emirate of Dubai enacted Law No. 4 of 2022 on the Regulation of Virtual Assets and established the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority. By establishing a legal framework for businesses related to virtual assets, including crypto assets and non-fungible tokens, this landmark law reflects Dubai’s vision to become one of the leading jurisdictions for entrepreneurs and investors of blockchain technology.
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DOJ Brings Criminal Charges Against Two Defendants in NFT Fraud
On March 24, 2022, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced charges against two defendants and alleged an ongoing fraud involving the sale of nonfungible tokens. The federal criminal case is among the first involving NFTs and foreshadows further regulatory scrutiny of the popular digital asset class.
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Rising Trend in NFT Litigation Over Popular Brands
Two leading international brands have filed lawsuits in 2022 to prevent the sale of digital NFTs depicting their physical products, and both cases will test existing trademark law and impact online retailers of NFTs.
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