The truth is far less glamorous but no less troubling. An unbiased examination of the government's tools to seize and confiscate property helps illuminate a key feature of bitcoin's value. In this piece, I dissect how governments legally seize property and why Bitcoin is the asset class best positioned to resist this seizure.
First, before discussing this legal process in low resolution, we should discuss some basic terminology. A target is a term used to refer to a person or business being investigated that is usually not yet charged with a crime. Think of asset forfeiture as a temporary seizure of property when the government takes away someone's property and places that property in government custody.