On August 5, 2025, the National Justice Council (CNJ) officially launched CriptoJud, an innovative electronic system that promises to revolutionize the way the Brazilian Judiciary deals with crypto assets in judicial processes. Described as the "SisbaJud of cryptocurrencies," CriptoJud allows for the tracking, blocking, and seizure of cryptocurrencies held in brokers based in Brazil, streamlining procedures that previously depended on manual and fragmented communications.

CriptoJud is a tool developed by the CNJ, in partnership with the Brazilian Association of Crypto Economy (ABCripto), with the aim of facilitating compliance with judicial orders related to crypto assets, such as Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, in tax, civil, and labor processes. Inspired by SisbaJud, a system used to block traditional financial assets (such as bank accounts and shares), CriptoJud is designed to operate exclusively in the crypto asset market, automating the search and blocking of digital assets held in Brazilian exchanges.

Before the launch of CriptoJud, the process of seizing cryptocurrencies was slow and inefficient. Courts needed to send individual letters to each broker to verify the existence of digital assets of a debtor, which required time and resources. With the new system, all participating exchanges are accessed simultaneously in an intuitive electronic environment, with full traceability, eliminating the dependence on manual communications.

The system was announced by the president of the CNJ and the Supreme Federal Court (STF), Minister Luís Roberto Barroso, during an ordinary session of the council. He highlighted that CriptoJud represents a significant advance in the modernization of the Judiciary, integrating with the Digital Platform of the Judiciary (PDPJBr) and ensuring greater speed in the liquidation of amounts in reais (BRL) from seized crypto assets.

CriptoJud operates similarly to SisbaJud but focuses exclusively on crypto assets. Its operation depends on the adherence of cryptocurrency brokers to the system, which must provide information about their clients' digital assets when requested by a judicial order. Below are the main aspects of the functioning of the system:

1. Tracking and Inquiry: CriptoJud allows judges to consult, in real-time, the possession of crypto assets by debtors in judicial processes, directly accessing the databases of participating exchanges. This eliminates the need for individual letters for each broker.

2. Blocking and Seizure: After identifying the assets, the system allows for the immediate blocking of cryptocurrencies, preventing the debtor from moving them. The tool also facilitates the conversion of these assets into reais for the payment of judicial debts, integrating the process with PDPJBr.

3. Cybersecurity: The system was designed with "sophisticated cybersecurity," according to the CNJ, ensuring the protection of data and the reliability of operations. It will be available in all courts in Brazil through the Jus.br Portal, with a final implementation schedule to be announced on August 12, 2025.

4. Dependence on Judicial Orders: Just like in SisbaJud, any blocking or seizure of crypto assets by CriptoJud requires the issuance of a judicial order, respecting the established legal procedures. This ensures that the system is used only in duly substantiated cases, such as tax, labor, or civil debts.

Implications for Investors and Brokers

The launch of CriptoJud has significant implications for both investors and cryptocurrency brokers in Brazil. Below, we explore the main points:

For Investors

- Greater Transparency and Security: According to Bernardo Srur, president of ABCripto, CriptoJud benefits investors by increasing security and efficiency in complying with judicial orders, contributing to a more dynamic and reliable crypto market.

- Risks for Debtors: Investors with judicial debts who keep their crypto assets on Brazilian exchanges run the risk of having their assets quickly blocked. This reinforces the importance of maintaining fiscal and legal regularity.

- Limitations with Cold Wallets: CriptoJud can only block assets held in participating brokers. Crypto assets stored in cold wallets, such as offline devices, are beyond the reach of the system, as they depend on the investor's private key.

- Impact on Small Investors: Experts warn that the system may be more effective against occasional investors, who leave their assets in brokers, than against "professional investors" who use cold wallets to protect large amounts.

For Brokers

- Mandatory Adherence: For CriptoJud to function fully, Brazilian exchanges need to adhere to the system and integrate their databases. ABCripto, which brings together brokers like Mercado Bitcoin, Foxbit, and NovaDAX, played a crucial role in creating the tool, encouraging sector participation.

- Regulatory Challenges: Although Law 14.478/2022 established the Central Bank as the regulator of the crypto market, specific rules for exchanges have not yet been fully defined. This may limit the initial implementation of CriptoJud, as brokers operate freely in Brazil without standardized obligations.

- Market Competitiveness: Stricter taxation, such as the revocation of the exemption on profits of up to R$ 35,000 in transactions with crypto assets (starting in 2026), could push investors to international exchanges that escape Brazilian oversight. CriptoJud, by increasing control over local brokers, may exacerbate this migration.

Limitations and Challenges of CriptoJud

Although CriptoJud is a technological advance for the Judiciary, it faces some limitations:

1. Limited Scope to Brazilian Exchanges: The system can only block assets on brokers based in Brazil that have adhered to CriptoJud. International exchanges, such as Binance, Coinbase, or Kraken, are not subject to the system, which may limit its effectiveness in cases involving investors using global platforms.

2. Cold Wallets: As mentioned, crypto assets stored in cold wallets escape the reach of CriptoJud, as the system does not have access to investors' private keys. This was evident in the case of the "Bitcoin Pharaoh," where over R$ 400 million in cryptocurrencies remained inaccessible due to password protection.

3. Frauds and Evasion: Experts point out that CriptoJud is not sufficient to prevent fraud by major debtors, who may move their assets to cold wallets or international exchanges to avoid seizure. The case of Glaidson Acácio dos Santos, accused of moving R$ 38 billion in a financial pyramid scheme, illustrates this difficulty.

4. Incomplete Regulation: The absence of clear rules from the Central Bank for the crypto market may delay the full implementation of CriptoJud, as the obligations of exchanges are still not fully defined.

Future Perspectives

  1. CriptoJud is a milestone in integrating the crypto asset market with the Brazilian judicial system, reflecting the growing recognition of cryptocurrencies as relevant economic assets. Minister Barroso highlighted that crypto assets "have become a more common asset in the economic life of the country," even signaling his personal interest in investing in the sector.

For the future, it is expected that CriptoJud will be improved with the adherence of more brokers and the definition of regulatory rules by the Central Bank. In addition, the Federal Revenue is intensifying monitoring of crypto transactions, with initiatives that include artificial intelligence and data cross-referencing with the Central Bank, which may complement the functionalities of CriptoJud.

Collaboration with international organizations, such as FATF and G20, may also lead to greater harmonization of global rules for cryptocurrencies, making it more difficult to evade assets to foreign exchanges.

Conclusion

The launch of CriptoJud represents an important step in the modernization of the Brazilian Judiciary, bringing more efficiency and transparency to the blocking of crypto assets in judicial processes. For investors, the tool reinforces the importance of maintaining legal regularity and considering the use of cold wallets to protect assets from judicial orders. For brokers, the system requires greater integration with the Judiciary but also offers the opportunity to strengthen trust in the Brazilian crypto market.

While CriptoJud promises to expedite the seizure of digital assets, its limitations, such as the exclusion of cold wallets and international exchanges, indicate that the system is just the beginning of a journey to balance technological innovation, investor protection, and judicial effectiveness. As the crypto market grows in Brazil, tools like CriptoJud will be crucial in shaping a safer and more regulated ecosystem.

Stay updated with the CNJ and the Central Bank for more details on the implementation of CriptoJud.

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