Is a timestamp legal proofIt can be evidence, but whether it counts depends on the court and the rest of the case

TimeBinder adds a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes.

The file stays on your device. Your browser makes a digital fingerprint of the file. TimeBinder records the fingerprint and the time, not the file.

Short answer

A timestamp can be one piece of evidence that a file existed by a certain time. Whether it is accepted, and how much weight it carries, depends on the country, the court and the other evidence. It is not a guarantee, so ask a qualified lawyer about your case.

What it can and cannot do

“Legal proof” is not a single status. Courts decide what evidence to admit and how much weight to give it, and the rules differ by country and by type of case. A technical record such as a timestamp is usually considered alongside other evidence, such as drafts, messages and witness accounts.

Our article is a blockchain timestamp admissible in court? goes through general rules in several places. It is information, not legal advice.

How to use one sensibly

Treat a timestamp as supporting evidence of timing. A TimeBind records a SHA-256 fingerprint of the exact file and a time, anchored to Bitcoin. The fingerprint is made in your browser and the file is not uploaded. It shows an exact file existed no later than the recorded time and still matches. Keep the original file, the certificate and your working records together.

TimeBinder is not a law firm, and a TimeBind certificate is not described as court-ready. For a dispute or filing, take advice from a qualified lawyer in your country.

Make a TimeBind: first one free →

First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. An ASAP TimeBind is US$15.

Frequently asked questions

Will a court accept a TimeBind certificate?

We cannot say. Acceptance depends on the country, the court and the case. It is best treated as supporting evidence of timing, not a guarantee.

Does a timestamp prove authorship?

No. It shows that a file existed by a recorded time, not who made it or who owns it.

What else should I keep?

Keep the original file, drafts, messages and any records of how the work was made, alongside the certificate.

Is this legal advice?

No. This page is general information. Ask a qualified lawyer about your situation.

Sources

TimeBinder, Is a blockchain timestamp admissible in court?.
TimeBinder, Legal timestamping.

Related guides and tools

Your file’s fingerprint, anchored to a global network secured by real electricity and cryptography.

Editing a file—including with AI—changes its fingerprint, not its existing network record.

How this works

Your file’s SHA-256 fingerprint, a short code worked out from its exact contents, is made in your browser, and the file itself stays on your device. A cryptographic commitment to that fingerprint, which may be combined with others, is then anchored in a block on the Bitcoin blockchain. Bitcoin is secured by proof of work: computers around the world spend real electricity to add each block, and changing an earlier block would mean redoing that work faster than the rest of the network. Until that block is confirmed, your proof is pending. Once the Bitcoin anchoring is confirmed, you can verify the proof against that recorded commitment. The confirmed record can then be checked; Pooled TimeBinds are checked through TimeBinder, while ASAP TimeBinds can also be checked independently. If you check the file later and its fingerprint still matches, that shows the file existed no later than the recorded time. The record doesn’t show who made the file, whether AI was used, or that its contents are true.

Your filestays on your device
FingerprintSHA-256
Network timestampon Bitcoin

Record a fingerprint of the file you rely on

Add a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes: a dated, checkable record of the exact file you hold.

Open the app and sign in with email or Google.
Add your files. They stay on your computer.
Seal them and download your Proof of Time certificates.

Open TimeBinder →

First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. See pricing.