Recovery and confiscation of crypto assets in international practice: myths of effectiveness, institutional traps, and real limits of restitution

This report analyzes mechanisms for the recovery and confiscation of cryptocurrency assets in international law enforcement practice. It examines legal and institutional models for the seizure of digital assets, their actual effectiveness, and the gap between the public narrative of “successful asset recovery” and the real outcomes for victims. Particular attention is given to structural limitations of restitution, the role of private infrastructure operators, the problem of distributing confiscated assets, and the political and economic incentives shaping contemporary confiscation practices.