How to trade cryptocurrency without actually buying cryptocurrency

Hargreaves Lansdown Cryptocurrency Investing Customer Reviews & Expert Rating

The overall score out of 10 combines our expert rating out of 5 with the average customer rating out of 5.
7.4/10Basic

Based on 1,775 customer reviews and our expert analysis

  • Experts highlight that Hargreaves Lansdown Cryptocurrency Investing offers a range of crypto exchange-traded notes (ETNs) with varying fees, including annual account charges and dealing fees. While the platform allows access to regulated crypto investments without needing a crypto wallet, the process to start trading is described as cumbersome and slow, which may deter some potential investors.
  • Across 1775 user reviews on Good Money Guide, averaging 3.8/5, customers frequently commend the platform's user-friendly app and efficient customer service, particularly praising its ease of use for managing investments. However, there are notable criticisms regarding high fees and a cumbersome account verification process, with some users expressing frustration over customer support and the platform's navigation challenges.

Hargreaves Lansdown Cryptocurrency Investing Expert rating

Our expert rating is the average of the areas listed here, each scored out of 5 by our team.
3.6Basic

Our experts have rated Hargreaves Lansdown Cryptocurrency Investing across five key areas of our review framework.

  • Pricing4.0
  • Market Access3.0
  • App & Platform5.0
  • Customer Service4.0
  • Research & Analysis2.0

Pros

  • You can invest in crypto-assets via a regulated structure
  • Don’t need a crypto wallet or private keys
  • You can hold the products in a regular brokerage account or SIPP

Cons

  • Gaining access is a cumbersome process
  • The products cannot be held within a Stocks and Shares ISA
  • You don’t own the crypto-assets directly
See full expert review

Our verdict

Hargreaves Lansdown offers access to a range of crypto exchange-traded notes (crypto ETNs). These are regulated stock market-listed investments that track cryptocurrency prices.

With these products, you can get exposure to crypto prices without holding any crypto-assets directly yourself and without having to worry about things like crypto wallets and passkeys. And you can trade them just like regular stocks. The launch of Hargreaves Lansdown's crypto ETNs is a positive development. At last, UK investors can access crypto assets through the platform.

However, at this stage, the offering is rather limited. And getting set-up to trade is a slow, cumbersome process.

What crypto products does Hargreaves Lansdown offer?

At present, there are a range of crypto ETNs that have ongoing charges on offer including:

  • 21Shares Bitcoin Core ETP (CBTC) - 0.10%
  • 21Shares Ethereum Core Staking ETP (ETHC) - 0.10%
  • Bitwise Core Bitcoin ETP (BTC3) - 0.05%
  • Coinshares Bitcoin ETP (BITP) - 0.15%
  • Coinshares Ethereum Staking ETP (ETHP) - 0.00%
  • Invesco Physical Bitcoin (BTIP) - 0.10%
  • iShares Bitcoin ETP (IB1T) - 0.15%
  • Wisdomtree Physical Bitcoin (WXBT) - 0.15%
  • Wisdomtree Physical Ethereum (WETP) - 0.35%

 

Of the crypto funds on HL, the iShares Bitcoin ETP (IB1T) is the most well-known. Managed by BlackRock, it is the largest Bitcoin fund in the world.

IB1T Crypto ETP Hargreaves Lansdown

 

How do Hargreaves Lansdown's crypto ETNs work?

Crypto ETNs are debt securities issued by financial institutions. Issuers use investors’ capital to buy and hold crypto-assets on behalf of the investors. With these products, you don’t own the crypto-assets yourself directly. Instead, you own a product that is designed to track the price of certain crypto assets.

Can you hold Hargreaves Lansdown's crypto ETNs in a Stocks and Shares ISA? Hargreaves Lansdown’s crypto ETNs cannot be held in a Stocks and Shares ISA. They can either be held in a regular Fund and Share Account or a SIPP.

Hargreaves Lansdown’s crypto ETN fees With Hargreaves Lansdown, there are a range of fees to be aware of:

  • Annual account charge to hold Crypto ETNs in a Fund and Share Account or SIPP – 0.35% (capped at £12.50 per month).
  • Dealing charges – these range between £3.95 and £6.95 per deal, depending on dealing frequency.
  • Crypto ETNs fund management charges – these range from 0.00 to 0.35%.

Who can invest in Hargreaves Lansdown’s crypto ETNs?

Hargreaves Lansdown’s crypto ETNs are available only to certain types of investors:

  • Certified high-net-worth individuals with an annual income above £100,000 or net assets above £250,000 (excluding your home, your pension, and any rights under qualifying contracts of insurance).
  • Restricted investors who intend to invest less than 10% of their net assets (excluding their home, pension, and any rights under qualifying contracts of insurance).

Note that before you can invest in a crypto ETN, you’ll need to pass an appropriateness assessment confirming you have enough knowledge and experience.

How to trade crypto ETNs with Hargreaves Lansdown

Trading crypto ETNs with Hargreaves Lansdown is a rather cumbersome process. First, you must self-certify as an advanced investor. Then, you must complete a suitability questionnaire. Once this is completed, you then need to wait 24 hours to be able to see the range of products on offer. Finally, you have to review the investment criteria before you can trade. Obviously, these steps are designed to protect investors. However, compared to other crypto platforms, getting set up to trade was slow.

Are Hargreaves Lansdown’s Crypto ETNs protected by the FSCS?

Hargreaves Lansdown’s crypto ETNs are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). Meanwhile, the Financial Ombudsman Service does not cover poor investment performance.

Are Hargreaves Lansdown’s crypto ETNs risky?

Hargreaves Lansdown’s crypto ETNs are high-risk investments. With these products, you should be prepared to lose all the money you invest.

Platform and app Hargreaves Lansdown’s platform and app are well designed and easy to use. However, they do have their flaws. For example, on the desktop platform, US stock prices are displayed in pence. That’s not ideal.

Research and value added

Hargreaves Lansdown does offer research on its website. However, there is minimal research dedicated to crypto-assets.

Customer service

Hargreaves Lansdown’s customer service is generally solid, however, it’s not what it used to be. For example, during the week, phone support is only available between 8am and 5pm now.

Customer reviews for Hargreaves Lansdown

Customer ratings come from reviews left on this site. Every review is read and approved before it is published.
3.8Basic

Based on 1,775 reviews

  • Excellent27%
  • Very good38%
  • Basic24%
  • Poor7%
  • Bad4%
Read customer reviews

hideous experience

Daz ·

just speechless! I created the kids accounts. They changed the primary person on my child's account without telling either parent, locked me out when I Phoned about a login issue, then dictated what I do in my own home and with whom. Never had an experience like that!

Website

Richard Cowell ·

Excellent platform for stocks, shares and cash investing.

Class

Jacques Opoku ·

Amazing customer service

Efficient

Ivana Balitska ·

Very simple app. Brilliant customer service. Good range of ETFs, which I use for long-term investing. Brilliant Cash ISA also, with great interest rate. Trusted and credible. I trust my money is in a safe place.

Good

Jon Stephenson ·

Communication

Intuitive

Adrian Saw ·

Good, intuitive app. Very responsive customer service.

Excellent

Guy Saunders ·

Easy platform to use

Confidence

Morgan Beake ·

Easy to use platform, very supportive and excellent telephone service.

fantastic

Stephen Sullivan ·

They listen then execute the right strategy

Accessible

Bernard Crick ·

Easy to use and patient/friendly when contacted. 5he brand provides access at all investment skill and money levels.

Great for junior ISA

Shade Gotau ·

Provide good junior stocks and shares ISA

Quality

Pauk Baker ·

Been with them for years and I have always felt they provide me with the best service for my needs as being retired now , not the force of old but heh ho still looking . Pb

Bereavement Support - Incompetent and Difficult

David Bibby ·

Where do I start.
Claiming they sent forms when they didn't. Then sent them in an email, but the forms were not attached.
Provided all information requested.
Week later I get an email requesting more information. We are all HL clients but they have made a bad situation so much worse because of their incompetence and awkwardness.
I have NEVER dealt with a more difficult organisation in thise who bereavement process.
They offer good products but I am seriously considering moving my considerable financial invesment away from HL.
Utterly appalled.

Overall good but the app could be easier to use.

Andy ·

One of only a few providers of a JISA where you can pick and manage your investments. Setting up the account was reasonably easy. The app UI is ok but not great. Can only fund the account through a card payment is a little frustrating but not a deal breaker.

Free JISA and app is great

Justin ·

Opened up a JISA on HL due to fees and ease of use. Good stock universe and the app works very well. Got no complaints

Good but room for improvement

JB ·

HL Junior ISA is okay but their website and app need improvement compared to competitors like InvestEngine and Trading212.

Operating outside of Law Demanding Facial Recognition to Verify / Fake Reviews

Jane Maitland ·

Hargreaves Landsdown operate outside of the law demanding Facial Recognition to verify accounts of both new and existing customers. They will tell you its the only way to verify, but when you look into the privacy law, this is simply not the case.
The system they use is MITEK. A quick search will show you who owns MITEK. Its the same corporations whom own everything.
Furthermore, HL are using extremely unscrupulous resources to keep their image squeeky clean by using BLACK MARKETING sources to write positive reviews. They pay approx £10 a review. Search Black Marketing and you will find many people happy to lie and cheat for money.
Go onto Trustpilot and see how many reviews they receive per day. I just counted over 20 in 24 hours. This is a statistical impossibility.
Now, do you really want a company that lies and cheats and sells your data to look after your hard earning money?
Think about that
I have been a customer of theirs for many years and i am absolutely disgusted at their practices and you should be too.

Good service

Gianluca Spinetti ·

one of the very few services that allows for some investments... It could be improved and made even more powerful (i.e. investments in other currencies) but really probably the best platform for easy access and universe of investments possible!

Not as good as they used to be

richard tomlinson ·

I've used HL for more than 10 years. They used to be low cost. Customer service was excellent. Online platform was great. Still not bad, but other platforms are now cheaper. Slower to resolve the occasional problem.

Cheap and easy to trade with, but lacking advanced features for active traders

Elie Gabay ·

Hargreaves Lansdown are good value for those that are low volume traders of stocks. If you hold funds then they are not such great value because of the admin fees that they charge. However, they don't charge dealing fees on funds which is a good point. A negative thought is that fund trades have to be placed by 9am or 8am for some in order to receive that day's valuation price. Many other brokers have a cut-off time of 11am-11.30am. HL are also one of the slowest to update fund prices - if you check Fidelity, Morningstar or AJ Bell, at 4pm, most fund prices are update, whereas HL take until 6pm or later.

The process of placing a deal with HL using the app is the best of many brokers that I have used as it is so smooth and quick. Very quick to login. However, there are many small companies, foreign companies or investment trusts that don't load up on the app and only can be viewed or traded on the desktop website.
The app and website are my first choice for checking share prices and news/RNS releases for UK stocks. Historical performance indicators are good too. However there is no provision of key metric data like P/CF, Forward P/E, Debt/Equity, Quick ratio, current ratio, Free cash flow yield, ROCE, ROE, ROA etc so I have to go to Reuters or other sites to check such details.

HL has always been very unaccommodating for those who wished to subscribe to IPOs or share offers, I have found other brokers providing access to new IPOs but HL will not.

They also have a strange system whereby they put dividends you receive into a hidden account and then only 2 weeks later transfer them to your capital account to allow you to trade with that cash.

Watchlists are very good in providing current prices and being well layed out.
It would be good if we could see futures prices for US markets and individual stocks in the morning when the UK is open. I have to check marketwatch or investing.com for that.

Why can't you make charts with HL of different stocks all on the same chart?
The total return chart function is great for funds but why can't that be extended to longer than 5 year periods and for stocks as well?

Are Hargreaves Lansdown’s Crypto ETNs a safer way to invest in Bitcoin? 

Hargreaves Lansdown now offers access to Bitcoin and Ethereum through ETNs. But these crypto products cannot be held within a Stocks and Shares ISA account.

For a long time, it wasn’t possible to invest in Bitcoin and other crypto assets with Hargreaves Lansdown. However, things changed in September 2026, when the firm launched a range of crypto-focused exchange-traded notes (ETNs).

In this review, we’ll take a look at the firm’s crypto offering. We’ll also explore the advantages and disadvantages of using the platform to invest in digital assets.

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