A legal dispute tied to "Noah Doe" and an effort to claim ownership of Satoshi Nakamoto’s bitcoin has taken a new turn, according to a post on X by Galaxy head of research Alex Thorn. The Bitcoin Policy Institute, or BPI, has formally moved to intervene as a defendant in the so-called abandoned bitcoin case and is seeking to push for the court to dismiss the entire lawsuit. Thorn said BPI, represented by law firm White & Case, filed not only its motion to intervene but also a proposed answer, 15 affirmative defenses, and plans for a motion to dismiss. BPI argued it has standing to intervene because it self-custodies part of its bitcoin reserves for an indefinite holding period. Under the plaintiff’s theory that long-unused bitcoin can be treated as abandoned, similar holdings could face future litigation. Thorn said the case is not limited to assets linked to Satoshi, because a court endorsement of that legal theory could create a precedent affecting the ownership rights of long-term self-custody bitcoin holders more broadly.
New development in the case
Galaxy head of research Alex Thorn said in a post on X that the abandoned bitcoin case tied to "Noah Doe" and an attempt to obtain ownership of Satoshi Nakamoto’s bitcoin through legal process has reached a major new stage. The Bitcoin Policy Institute, or BPI, has formally asked to intervene as a defendant and is seeking to have the full lawsuit thrown out.
BPI filed intervention papers and a proposed defense
According to Thorn, BPI is represented by White & Case. The group filed its motion to intervene, a proposed answer, and 15 affirmative defenses, and it plans to submit a motion to dismiss.
Dispute centers on long-unused holdings
Thorn said BPI argued it has grounds to intervene because it has long self-custodied a portion of its bitcoin reserves that it intends to hold indefinitely. Under the plaintiff’s theory that assets become abandoned if they remain unused for a long period, similar holdings could be exposed to future lawsuits.
Beyond assets linked to Satoshi
Thorn said that if the court ultimately accepts that legal theory, the case could set a precedent for stripping long-term self-custody users of ownership over their assets. In that sense, the lawsuit reaches beyond bitcoin associated with Satoshi and touches the legal basis of the broader self-custody ecosystem.
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