Adam Rosen - Lead financial writer
The UK also known as the United Kingdom is one of the top locations to invest in cryptocurrency, with many institutional investors closely following the sector. The FCAs Guidance on the regulation of crypto assets lays down the criteria that a company must meet. If a particular cryptocurrency falls within one of these categories, the company will need to be licensed to operate in the UK. Although its unlikely, the FCA will not approve an exchange-traded fund that contains cryptocurrencies. Also, the FCA is currently considering whether to allow certain exchange-traded funds to trade in cryptocurrencies. Regulatory frameworks vary from country to country. For instance, if you are an exchanger, you should be aware of the UKs tax laws. KYC is an important part of a financial businesss regulatory framework. It can help protect the public by ensuring that the money you make is secure and not subject to fraud. In the United Kingdom, the FCAs regulations for cryptocurrencies are complex and can impact your financial security. Its essential to be familiar with them so that you are aware of any potential pitfalls so that you are prepared to deal with them.
🤴 Used By: 23,200,000
⚡ Crypto Available: BTC, ETH, BCH, XRP, DASH, LTC, ETC, ADA, MIOTA, XLM and 27 more cryptocurrency.
📈 Traded Volume: 41,693,321
💵 Deposit Methods: Credit cards, VISA, MasterCard, Diners Club, Maestro, Debit Cards, Bank Transfer, PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, WebMoney, China UnionPay, Giropay, Electronic wallets (eWallets), Ethereum, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Dash, EOS, Ripple XRP, Litecoin, Zcash, Payoneer,
💰 Trading Fees: Fees vary. Overnight and weekend fees apply
💰 Withdrawal Fees: US$5 (minimum withdrawal of US$50)
💰 Deposit Fees: Fees vary (conversion fees for non-USD deposits)
Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.
🤴 Used By: 13,000,000
⚡ Crypto Available: BTC, ETH, BCH, XRP, DASH, LTC, ETC, ADA, MIOTA, XLM and 27 more cryptocurrency.
📈 Traded Volume: 42,043,394
💵 Deposit Methods: Credit cards, VISA, MasterCard, Diners Club, Maestro, Debit Cards, Bank Transfer, PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, WebMoney, China UnionPay, Giropay, Electronic wallets (eWallets), Ethereum, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Dash, EOS, Ripple XRP, Litecoin, Zcash, Payoneer,
💰 Trading Fees: Fees vary
💰 Withdrawal Fees: Fees vary
💰 Deposit Fees: Fees vary
Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.
🤴 Used By: 4,000,000
⚡ Crypto Available: BTC, ETH, ETC, XTZ, CLV, EOS, OMG, BNB, LTC, UNI and 820 more cryptocurrency.
📈 Traded Volume: 5,945,756,067
💵 Deposit Methods: Cryptocurrency
💰 Trading Fees: Maker: 0.20%
💰 Withdrawal Fees: Fees vary
💰 Deposit Fees: None
Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.
🤴 Used By: 1,000,000
⚡ Crypto Available: BTC and 1 more cryptocurrency.
📈 Traded Volume: 612,000,000
💵 Deposit Methods: Bank transfer (ACH)
💰 Trading Fees: None
💰 Withdrawal Fees: Fees vary
💰 Deposit Fees: Fees vary
Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.
🤴 Used By: 8,000,000
⚡ Crypto Available: BTC, ETH, XRP, BCH, EOS, LTC, ADA, XLM, TRX, NEO and 434 more cryptocurrency.
📈 Traded Volume: 110,957,137
💵 Deposit Methods: Cryptocurrency
💰 Trading Fees: 0.10%
💰 Withdrawal Fees: Fees vary
💰 Deposit Fees: None
Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.
🤴 Used By: 10,000,000
⚡ Crypto Available: BTC, BCH, ETH, XRP, LTC, BTG, DASH, ETC, EOS, QTUM and 320 more cryptocurrency.
📈 Traded Volume: 924,266
💵 Deposit Methods: Cryptocurrency
💰 Trading Fees: Maker: 0.2%
💰 Withdrawal Fees: None
💰 Deposit Fees: None
Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.
🤴 Used By: 73,000,000
⚡ Crypto Available: ATOM, BAT, BTC, BCH, XRP, DAI, DASH, EOS, ETH, ETC and 73 more cryptocurrency.
📈 Traded Volume: 7,622,846,254
💵 Deposit Methods: Bank transfer (ACH)
💰 Trading Fees: Fees vary
💰 Withdrawal Fees: Instant Card Withdrawal: Up to 2% of the transaction plus a minimum of 0.45
💰 Deposit Fees: Credit/debit card: 3.99%
Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.
🤴 Used By: 450,000
⚡ Crypto Available: BTC, ETH, XRP, EOS, LTC, XLM, USDT, OMG, ZRX, MKR and 42 more cryptocurrency.
📈 Traded Volume: 64,141,140
💵 Deposit Methods: Bank transfer
💰 Trading Fees: Maker: 0.05-0.15%
💰 Withdrawal Fees: Fees vary
💰 Deposit Fees: No Fees
Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.
🤴 Used By: 10,000,000
⚡ Crypto Available: BTC, ETH, USDT, XRP, ATOM, XTZ, XLM, LINK, CRO, BCH and 153 more cryptocurrency.
📈 Traded Volume: 2,630,000,000
💵 Deposit Methods: Credit card
💰 Trading Fees: Maker: 0.04-0.20%
💰 Withdrawal Fees: Cryptocurrency: Fees vary
💰 Deposit Fees: None
Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.
🤴 Used By: 2,300,000
⚡ Crypto Available: BTC, ETH, ETC, BCH, LTC, ADA, QTUM, XRP, XTZ, EOS and 10 more cryptocurrency.
📈 Traded Volume: 86,072,667,390
💵 Deposit Methods: Bank transfer (ACH)
💰 Trading Fees: 2.9-3.9% (depending on loyalty level)
💰 Withdrawal Fees: Fees vary
💰 Deposit Fees: Credit card: 5%
Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.
The cryptocurrency markets in UK are highly volatile. This means that the fluctuations in the UK cryptocurrency prices are rather abrupt and happen every now and then. These price fluctuations also have a large impact on the value of the coins.
To counter these sudden changes in prices, more people are turning to crypto exchanges where they can trade cryptocurrencies in different pairs.
Crypto exchanges function similar to stock markets, but they handle digital assets like cryptocurrencies instead of stocks or securities. The concept behind crypto exchanges is really simple; you deposit some amount of Bitcoin on the exchange by transferring from your wallet address to their wallet address, and then you use it to buy other currencies or assets listed on the exchange at that moment.
Thus, for example if you want to buy Ethereum (ETH), you will transfer BTC from your wallet address to an exchange's ETH wallet address, and then you will receive ETH for your Bitcoins at an agreed upon rate, this is called 'buying on margin' as this whole process works almost exactly like margin trading with traditional stocks or securities, except here we deal with digital assets instead of physical ones.
If later down the road when you sold your Ethereum (for example) for Bitcoins, you would use that same mechanism but in reverse order: first sell ETH back into BTC so it goes into your exchange account again; then go ahead and withdraw back your BTC from the exchange account right back into your own personal wallet address since this operation is called 'withdrawing', all these steps can normally be done within seconds or minutes by using an intuitive user interface provided by most crypto exchanges nowadays.
The trading of cryptocurrency is the most recent craze to hit the UK financial industry. Many UK crypto traders are seeing significant increase of trading crypto asset volume, which is attracting the attention of many other new UK traders. Successful cryptocurrency trading in UK, needs the short listing and identification of reputable, UK regulated cryptocurrency exchanges that are well-known and accessible to UK residents.
A UK cryptocurrency exchange is a platform that enables UK cryptocurrency traders to perform their transactions on the UK crypto trading platforms. These UK crypto exchanges enable you to purchase and sell cryptocurrencies whenever you choose, from the comfort of your own UK home. A UK cryptocurrency exchange also provides UK traders with the ability to convert one digital currency into another. It is possible to change your Bitcoin into Ethereum, Litecoin or Dogecoin, for example.
To buy cryptocurrency coins, UK crypto users who are interested in buying and selling crypto assets in UK will have to register with a UK crypto exchange and go through a series of verification processes before being able to transfer UK funds into an account for buying coins in their chosen digital currency.
When using a UK crypto exchange, it is feasible for a UK crypto trader to purchase ordinary UK currency in return for cryptocurrency. Using U.S. dollars, for example, you could purchase Bitcoin, Ethereum or Litecoin and then convert it into conventional UK money. If you wish to convert your cryptocurrency into UK cash, a UK crypto exchange may also provide you with cash in your UK bank account.
In general, UK cryptocurrency exchanges and wallets do not provide the same level of protection and security in the same manner that a UK bank would when holding UK fiat money.
As the value of cryptocurrencies has risen, so has the number of thefts and UK crypto exchange assaults, which have climbed in number.
The value of a cryptocurrency has risen and dropped substantially in recent years, and crypto assets are often considered to be very volatile investments for UK crypto traders.
Only buy or sell cryptocurrency assets with a UK cryptocurrenct exchange that is well regulated around the world as well as specifically for UK residents
Due to the fact that UK cryptocurrency trading platforms are currently largely unregulated, most UK crypto trading platforms are under no duty to comply with UK financial reporting rules or to offer securities investor protection processes.
Only use a UK cryptocurrency exchange that has been approved and regulated to provide services to UK cryptocurrency traders.
To safeguard money and UK retail crypto traders in UK against theft and misuse, financial-regulated UK exchanges are expected to take additional steps.
As mentioned before one of their main functions is being able to provide liquidity between different cryptocurrencies or digital assets because basically every single coin has a small market cap which means there is never enough volume traded on any given day thus making it hard for someone who wants to buy small amounts of a coin like 1-10 dollars worth not only because he won't get such a small amount but also because even getting close would require him paying too much money as high spreads exist.
Buying cryptocurrency can be a little confusing for the first time. It is important to do your homework and research different exchanges before deciding on one. The best way to purchase cryptocurrency is through an exchange which allows you to use fiat currency (USD, EUR, GBP etc) to purchase cryptocurrency.
We recommend well established UK crypto exchanges like eToro, Coinbase and Binance, because they are easy to use, have a good reputation and large user base and offer good crypto liquidity to crypto exchange users in the UK.
It also takes just a few minutes to set up your account with these UK crypto exchanges and verify your identity, making them one of the fastest ways to get started with buying popular crypto coins like Bitcoin or Ripple in the UK.
When choosing a UK cryptocurrency exchange, make sure it is financially regulated, safe, and has enough crypto liquidity so you can buy and sell your crypto quickly when needed. Make sure you're aware of the funding and withdrawal fees for local UK and worldwide crypto exchanges. We list below in detail what you should check with your UK crypto exchange before signing up.
When trading cryptocurrency in the UK you will need to check what cryptocurrencies are available to you to buy and sell. You could want to look for an exchange that offers certain stablecoins, altcoins, trading pairings, and other trading services like margin trading or over-the-counter (OTC) transactions.
Financial regulation is very important when buying or selling cryptocurrencies with your UK crypto broker or exchange.
Financial regulation protects you the consumer and your data. As cryptocurrency trading in the UK is still relatively new and is seeing new growth, crypto financial regulation is needed as new crypto coins are released everyday.
Without financial regulation monitoring UK crypto exchanges, consumers may be prone to market manipulation of volatile new cryptocurrencies.
The more liquid a given exchange is, the larger the trade volume is. Liquidity allows transactions to be completed more quickly, easily, and without having to cope with price volatility. Check to determine if an exchange offers "locked-in" pricing, which assures you the price at the time of your transaction even if it does not settle right away.
Be warned that liquidity for different trading pairs may vary for your chosen UK crypto exchange. For example, liquidity could be high for BTC/USD but very low liquidity for the trading pair BTC/EUR. Its something you must check and be aware of when trading with your UK cryptocurrency exchange.
UK Crypto Exchange may charge fees when you buy, sell, or convert cryptocurrencies.
UK Crypto Exchange fees are calculated by your UK cryptocurrency platform at the time your order is placed. UK Crypto Exchange fees based on a number of factors, including the payment method you choose, the size of your transaction, and market circumstances including volatility and liquidity.
Withdrawal fees may differ not only for each UK Crypto Exchange, but each cryptocurrency. For example withdrawal fees for stablecoins and some altcoin withdrawal fees may differ.
Depending on the deposit method you use when funding your UK Crypto Exchange account the fees charged may vary. For example if you decide to fund your UK Crypto Exchange account with a debit or credit card there may be a percentage fee or 5% or more.
When actively trading with a UK crypto exchange its security measures are of the upmost importance. If a UK crypto exchange is not secure your crypto money may be hacked and disappear. Your funds could be stolen if an exchange is unsecure.
Make sure you use secure cold wallet storage solutions with your UK crypto exchange. Cold wallets are not directly connected to the internet so are safer then hot wallets on your UK crypto exchange.
Because of security concerns, two-factor authentication is required when buying and selling cryptocurrency on a UK crypto exchange. When logging in or withdrawing funds from a UK crypto exchange, multi-factor authentication adds an extra degree of security to passwords. A text message to a phone device or an e-mail can be used for two-factor authentication.
A great security feature of the best crypto exchanges in the UK are withdrawal notifications.
Withdrawal notifications are email or txt messages to your mobile phone notifying you as soon as a withdrawal request is made to your UK crypto exchange account. If you did not make the withdrawal request you will have a chance to cancel the transaction request.
You can open an account with a UK cryptocurrency exchange or two once you've decided on the best UK crypto exchange that best suits your needs. You may be required to prove your identification depending on the platform and the amount you intend to purchase from the UK crypto exchange. This is a necessary step in preventing fraud and complying with strict financial regulation, which all reputable crypto exchanges in the UK adhere too.
You might not be able to buy or trade cryptocurrencies in the UK until the verification process has been completed. You may be required to produce a copy of your driver's licence or passport, as well as a recent photograph to verify that your appearance matches the KYC documentation you submit to your crypto exchange in the UK.
To purchase cryptocurrency in UK, you must first ensure that you have enough funds in your UK crypto account.
It's not that hard to get started with crypto in UK. However, there are some things you need to watch out for when it comes to funding your UK crypto account. You also need to be careful about where you keep your private keys.
Depositing your funds into your shortlisted UK crypto exchange should be free of fees. However, don't forget that you may have to pay a transaction fee if moving your funds from multiple exchanges. You might have to pay a withdrawal fee to take your crypto out or a fee if there is a currency conversion fee for depositing with your UK crypto exchange.
For many people, the idea of sending funds directly from their UK bank accounts will make sense because they are already familiar with this process. It's simple enough and there shouldn't be any issues getting funds into an exchange if you have the right information on hand.
After you've linked your UK bank account, Just follow the online instructions and send over the required amount. Again, keep in mind that fees may apply depending on which exchange you choose and local UK currency exchange fees.
If you don't like paying fees or if there is a limit on withdrawals from your UK bank account then using a credit card could be a better alternative than waiting around longer periods of time or paying more money on transfer fees.
However, many exchanges require KYC before accepting credit cards so consider this before depositing funds into an exchange!
Many of the larger more established crypto exchanges in the UK allow funding of your crypto account with many popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum and even Dogecoin.
Check with your shortlisted UK crypto exchanges to see what cryptocurrency funding methods they support.
Following are the most commonly asked questions (and their answers) about UK:
Yes, UK is backed by high profile investors and regulated by reputed financial authorities.
Users can withdraw their UK crypto exchange to fiat currencies any time they want through an ACH transfer. Such transfers normally take 1-2 working days.
Yes you will need to check with an accountant and your local tax office in the UK to check if any crypto taxes are due.
If UK isn’t quite what you are looking for you can check out some of the best UK alternatives below.
If you would like to see UK compared agains some of the best UK crypto exchange alternatives available right now you can do so by clicking on the links below.