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Copyright registration vs a timestamp. Registration is a legal step. A timestamp is evidence of when a file existed. Most serious creators use both.

Drop your work here Any file type. Up to 10 files per TimeBind. Opens the TimeBinder app.

Clicking opens the TimeBinder app. Files are hashed locally on your computer; nothing is uploaded or stored by TimeBinder.

Copyright registration and file timestamping are often mentioned in the same breath, but they do different jobs. Registration is a legal step with legal benefits in the US. A timestamp is evidence of when a particular file existed.

Your files never leave your computer. With TimeBinder, each file is hashed locally on your own device. Nothing is uploaded or stored by TimeBinder.

Copyright registration or a timestamp: the short answer

If you are in the US and might ever sue over a work, register it with the US Copyright Office. Nothing else gives you the same legal benefits.

For drafts, demos, versions and unreleased work, a timestamp is a cheap way to show what existed and when, without registering every file.

If you are in the UK, EU or Australia, there is usually no register to use, so dated records you can prove are what you have.

What is TimeBinder? TimeBinder is a blockchain timestamping service. It shows that a digital file existed no later than a specific time, and that it still matches its fingerprint, by anchoring the file’s SHA-256 fingerprint to the Bitcoin blockchain. Files are hashed in your browser and never uploaded, and each TimeBind comes with a Proof of Time Certificate that can be checked later. It does not prove who created a file or that its contents are true.

What US registration gives you

The right to sue. For US works, registration (or a refusal) is generally required before you can file an infringement lawsuit (17 U.S.C. § 411(a)). The Supreme Court confirmed in Fourth Estate v. Wall-Street.com (2019) that this means the Office has acted on the application, not just received it.
Statutory damages and attorney’s fees, but only if the work was registered before the infringement began or within three months of first publication (17 U.S.C. § 412).
A presumption of validity if registration happens within five years of first publication (17 U.S.C. § 410(c)).
A public record of your claim in the Copyright Office catalog.

Registration costs US$45 (Single Application) or US$65 (Standard Application) online as of October 2026, with group options such as up to 10 unpublished works for US$85. The Office says most online claims take about three months. Check copyright.gov fees before filing, because a fee update has been proposed.

What a timestamp gives you

Verifiable evidence that an exact file existed no later than a specific time, and that it still matches its fingerprint.
Coverage of every version you choose: rough demos, early drafts, sketches, stems, source files. Nobody registers each of those.
Privacy. With TimeBinder the file is hashed in your browser and never uploaded, so unreleased work stays with you.
Speed. A Pooled TimeBind is usually recorded within 24 to 48 hours, and often sooner, depending on Bitcoin network activity; an ASAP TimeBind gets its own transaction straight away.

US copyright registration vs a TimeBinder timestamp

	US copyright registration	TimeBinder timestamp
What it is	A legal registration of your claim	Evidence of when a file existed
Needed to sue in the US?	Yes, for US works	No, and it does not replace registration
Statutory damages	Available if registered in time	Not applicable
Proves who the author is?	Creates a presumption if registered in time	No, only when a file existed
Covers drafts and versions?	Only what you register	Every file you TimeBind
Cost	US$45–US$65 per application online	Free plan: 1 Token a month; paid plans from US$20/month
Time to complete	About three months online	Usually up to 48 hours, often sooner
Available outside the US?	No (US system)	Yes, anywhere

A routine that uses both

TimeBind drafts and versions as you work, and keep each Proof of Time Certificate with the files.
Before release or publication, register the finished work if you are in the US (or your work is first published there) and enforcement matters to you.
Keep both records together: the registration certificate for the legal claim, and the TimeBinds for the history of how the work came together.

How to timestamp your work

Three steps. Submitting takes a few minutes; a Pooled TimeBind is usually recorded within 24 to 48 hours, and often sooner, depending on Bitcoin network activity, and ASAP is faster.

Drop your files
Add up to 10 files per TimeBind: demos, drafts, artwork, stems. Any file type and size works.
demo-v2.wav · stems.zip
Hashed on your computer
Your browser works out a unique SHA-256 fingerprint for each file. Nothing is uploaded. The files never leave your device and TimeBinder never stores them.
fingerprint 9f2c…41ab · file stays with you
Sealed to Bitcoin
The fingerprints are anchored to the Bitcoin blockchain: ASAP (your own transaction, sent straight away) or Pooled (usually recorded within 24 to 48 hours, and often sooner, depending on Bitcoin network activity). You get a Proof of Time Certificate, a PDF with a QR code and the Bitcoin transaction ID.
✓ sealed · certificate ready

Timestamp your work →

What a TimeBind shows, and what it doesn’t

What it shows

That this exact file existed no later than the time recorded on the Bitcoin blockchain
That a file shown later still matches its fingerprint: the same file gives the same fingerprint, and any edit gives a different one
A record kept outside your own systems: an ASAP TimeBind can be checked on the Bitcoin blockchain without relying on TimeBinder, and a Pooled TimeBind is verified through TimeBinder

What it doesn’t show

Who created, wrote or signed the file
That the contents are true or accurate
How a court or other decision-maker will treat it: that depends on the jurisdiction and the rules that apply. It isn’t legal advice

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to register copyright to own it?

No. In the US, UK, EU and Australia, copyright arises automatically when an original work is fixed in a tangible form. US registration adds legal benefits, mainly the ability to sue and claim statutory damages.

Is a timestamp a substitute for US copyright registration?

No. If you are in the US and may need to sue, register the work. A timestamp is a separate, low-cost record of when each version of a file existed, which is useful for drafts and unreleased work you would not register one by one.

Can I register copyright in the UK, EU or Australia?

The UK and Australia have no official copyright register, and most EU countries do not either (a few offer optional deposit schemes). Creators there rely on their own records, which is where independent timestamps help.

How much does US copyright registration cost?

As of October 2026 the Copyright Office lists US$45 for a Single Application and US$65 for a Standard Application filed online, with group options for some works. The Office has proposed fee changes, so check copyright.gov before filing.

Does a timestamp prove I created the work?

No. It shows a file existed by a time and still matches its fingerprint. Your drafts, versions and other records tell the story of who made it.

Related guides

Open TimeBinder and timestamp your work

Here’s what you’ll do next:

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 →

Your work stays privateEvery file is hashed locally on your own computer. Your files are never uploaded or stored by TimeBinder; only a fingerprint is sealed to Bitcoin.

Start free: your first Pooled TimeBind each month costs nothing. See pricing