According to DLNews, nearly two years after British officials seized three non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in a tax fraud investigation, the UK's tax authority is still grappling with how to value these digital assets. Since the 2022 operation, no additional NFTs have been seized, and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is in the preliminary stages of developing methods to appraise the worth of NFTs. The agency disclosed this information in response to a Freedom of Information request, stating that it is "exploring options regarding the valuation [and] appraisal method for seized NFTs."
The NFTs were seized alongside approximately £5,000, or $6,345, in cryptocurrency as part of an investigation into a £1.4 million VAT fraud scheme involving over 250 suspected fake companies. This incident, first reported by the Daily Telegraph, marked the first NFT seizure in the UK. HMRC has not commented on whether the three seized NFTs have been sold. At the time of the seizure, Nick Sharp, the deputy director for economic crime at HMRC, issued a warning to those attempting to hide money from tax authorities, emphasizing that the agency constantly adapts to new technology to keep pace with criminals and evaders.
HMRC has declined to provide further details on the options it is exploring or how it manages custody of NFTs, citing concerns that such information could enable opportunists to undermine compliance activities and prejudice the agency's ability to prevent or detect crime. The agency also expressed concerns that revealing its retention methods could increase the risk of criminals targeting HMRC staff or other parties in attempts to recover seized assets. Additionally, disclosing its tactics could allow criminals to develop techniques that might inhibit HMRC's ability to identify or seize assets in the future.
NFTs, such as those in the Bored Ape Yacht Club collection, are typically valued based on factors like rarity, cultural significance, and the fluctuating crypto market. Once popular among speculative investors and celebrities, the NFT market has cooled significantly since its peak in 2021.