The JAN3 Bitcoin index placed the United Kingdom third in its 2025 B20 after weighing policy advances and more than 60,000 $BTC in law-enforcement custody. UK records classify the coins as seized criminal property subject to court proceedings. A March 2026 Treasury answer said central government held no cryptoassets.
JAN3 promoted the UK result this month alongside its full B20 ranking. The scorecard gave the UK 6.44 and a BB rating, behind the United States at 7.42 and Bhutan at 6.64. Its evidence window ran through to the end of 2025.
The publisher's framework combines national Bitcoin holdings, state mining, legal and tax treatment, strategic-reserve policy, pro-Bitcoin political leadership, and the extent to which Bitcoin can be used in the economy. Britain's placement reflects that composite approach, not a government decision to build a Bitcoin treasury.
JAN3 cited roughly 61,000 $BTC in government custody as one reason for the score. The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that authorities seized more than 60,000 Bitcoin in a major investment fraud and money laundering case. Prosecutors described it as alleged criminal property. They said confiscation and civil proceedings would determine its disposition.
Why seized Bitcoin is not a reserve
UK asset-recovery guidance describes seizure as a temporary step while proceedings continue. Following a court order, authorities may sell recovered cryptoassets to compensate victims or direct the proceeds to the public purse and economic-crime enforcement.
The ownership distinction is also explicit in the government's dated statements. In a March 2, 2026, parliamentary answer, the Treasury said neither it nor central government held cryptoassets at that time.
