Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Bitcoin exchange reaches deal with Barclays for UK transactions

Published 03/14/2018, 04:29 PM
Updated 03/14/2018, 04:29 PM
© Reuters. A collection of Bitcoin (virtual currency) tokens are displayed in this picture illustration

© Reuters. A collection of Bitcoin (virtual currency) tokens are displayed in this picture illustration

By Tommy Wilkes and Emma Rumney

LONDON (Reuters) - One of the biggest bitcoin exchanges has struck a rare deal which will allow it to open a bank account with Britain's Barclays (L:BARC), making it easier for UK customers of the exchange to buy and sell cryptocurrencies, the UK boss of the exchange said on Wednesday.

Large global banks have been reluctant to do business with companies that handle bitcoin and other digital coins because of concerns they are used by criminals to launder money and that regulators will soon crack down on them.

San Francisco-based exchange, Coinbase, said its UK subsidiary was the first to be granted an e-money license by the UK's financial watchdog, a precursor to getting the banking relationship with Barclays.

The Barclays account will make it easier for British customers. Previously, they had to transfer pounds into euros and go through an Estonian bank.

"Having domestic GBP payments with Barclays reduces the cost, improves the customer experience...and makes the transaction faster," said Zeeshan Feroz, Coinbase's UK CEO.

The UK is the largest market for Coinbase in Europe, and the exchange said its customer base in the region was growing at twice the rate of elsewhere.

Feroz said that it took considerable time to get a UK bank on board, partly because Barclays needed to be sure that Coinbase had the right systems in place to prevent money laundering.

Regulators across the globe have warned that cryptocurrencies are used by criminals to launder money, and some exchanges have been shut down.

"It's a completely brand new industry. There's a lot of understanding and risk management that's needed," Feroz said.

Despite growing interest in both digital currencies and the technology behind them, some big lenders have limited their customers ability to buy cryptocurrencies, fearing a plunge in their value will leave customers unable to repay debts.

In February, British banks Lloyds (LON:LLOY) and Virgin Money (LON:VM) said they would ban credit card customers from buying cryptocurrencies, following the lead of JP Morgan and Citigroup (NYSE:C).

© Reuters. A collection of Bitcoin (virtual currency) tokens are displayed in this picture illustration

Coinbase said it had also become the first crypto exchange to use Britain's Faster Payments Scheme, a network used by the traditional financial industry.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.