- IG Group now offers direct spot trading of 31 cryptocurrencies to UK retail investors.
- IG partnered with Uphold to integrate secure crypto trading across its platforms.
- UK retail investors can trade Bitcoin, Ether, XRP, and various altcoins via IG’s new service.
IG Group, a prominent FTSE 250-listed financial services company, has added cryptocurrency trading to its services for retail clients in the United Kingdom. After launching, IG becomes the first trading platform listed in the UK that enables people to buy, sell, and hold digital assets, including bitcoin (BTC), ether (ETH), XRP, along with a range of altcoins and memecoins. The company informed customers on June 2 that they can conduct trades with 31 different crypto tokens.
Previously, IG clients could only access cryptocurrency markets through contracts for difference (CFDs) which allowed speculation on price movements without actually holding the underlying assets. With this new trading service, IG now manages direct ownership for its clients, an option that UK retail investors are seeking in regulated crypto exposure.
Partnership With Uphold Enables Secure Crypto Integration
Crypto trade services are provided in partnership with Uphold, a U.S.-based crypto asset platform regulated in both the United States and the UK. Uphold’s infrastructure powers the transaction processing and pricing, allowing seamless integration across IG group’s existing suite of trading platforms and its IG Invest mobile app. This means customers can move between their crypto holdings and traditional investments, such as shares and commodities, all from one account.
Michael Healy, IG’s UK managing director, described the launch as a “major milestone” for both IG Group and the wider UK crypto sector. He stated that the firm’s entry into spot crypto trading demonstrates a new level of maturity and compliance for the industry, especially as UK regulators develop a more comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets.
Uphold is responsible for customer transactions, giving real-time pricing, and maintaining security standards. Major banks in the UK, including Chase UK, have restricted crypto transactions, limiting customer access to exchanges. By partnering with Uphold, IG is able to offer a regulated option that meets the changing UK regulations.
Regulatory Progress and Market Context in the UK
IG Group is expanding its cryptocurrency services just as crypto adoption grows in the UK. Recent data from Gemini highlights that the number of new crypto owners has increased in the country more than in any other European country. In March, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) began consultations on rules for stablecoins and crypto custody, and the government released draft crypto trading legislation in April.
In early 2021, IG suspended its crypto derivatives for retail clients after the FCA temporarily banned these offerings. With this new trading service, IG re-enters the market by directly buying assets rather than using leverage speculation.
After the announcement, IG stock prices went up 0.25%, suggesting that investors supported the company’s decision to enter digital assets. This illustrates a broader effort by traditional banks to connect traditional finance with the fast-evolving crypto industry.
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