[Russian Constitutional Court to Rule on Whether USDT Enjoys Property Rights, Potentially Setting a Legal Precedent for Stablecoins] Odaily Planet Daily reports that the Russian Constitutional Court is currently hearing a critical case to determine whether citizens have property rights over stablecoins like USDT. Several regulatory experts have informed the court that fiat-pegged stablecoins such as USDT do not fall under the category of 'digital financial assets' (DFA) as defined by Russian law and are not subject to the country's digital currency circulation regulations. The case originated when Moscow resident Dmitry Timchenko lent 1,000 USDT in 2023, but the borrower refused to return the funds. Timchenko's appeals to the district court, appellate court, and Supreme Court were all rejected, with the courts ruling that stablecoins do not fall under the protected scope of DFA. Timchenko subsequently appealed to the Constitutional Court, arguing that 'no other asset class in Russia faces such restrictions.' During the hearing, the Central Bank and the anti-money laundering agency Rosfinmonitoring both stated that stablecoins exhibit characteristics of 'foreign currency digital assets,' making it difficult to classify them as DFA, and proving ownership on public blockchains is challenging. Some legal experts believe that if stablecoins are not recognized as DFA, it could benefit ordinary traders by facilitating daily transactions or sanction evasion. However, the lack of legal protection also increases the risk of asset freezes by issuers. The final ruling on the case is expected to be announced privately within a few weeks and is seen as a significant precedent for the legal recognition of stablecoins in Russia. (DL News)