"Seizing" is: 1. Taking control of them 2. Removing control of them from anyone else The second point is specific to a digital asset which can be duplicated

"Seizing" is: 1. Taking control of them 2. Removing control of them from anyone else The second point is specific to a digital asset which can be duplicated (in this case we are also talking about any passwords). Bitcoin, by definition, allows the second point, but requires a transaction. So the FBI should have made a transaction immediately (or have the means of invalidating any transaction of those bitcoin). This is novel and critical to the story, but the Guardian article seemed to tangentially miss it.