Taiwan Court Rejects Teacher’s NT$7 Million Crypto Loss Claim

A primary-school teacher in Hsinchu transferred funds to a student in 2017 to trade cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin and Ethereum on the teacher’s behalf. The dispute underscores the legal and financial risks of informal crypto-management arrangements, particularly when investors retain control over decisions but lack written mandates, clear exit rules or safeguards against the market’s extreme volatility.

The teacher declined to take profits while the positions were in the black, and the investment was eventually wiped out. The teacher later accused the student of fraud and sought NT$7 million ($214,000) in civil damages. The Hsinchu District Court rejected the claim, finding that the teacher bore the investment risk and that the two sides had already reached a settlement.