Hargreaves Lansdown Reverses Stance, Launches Bitcoin Trading

Bitcoin Trading — UK investment giant Hargreaves Lansdown has reversed its previous position and is now offering bitcoin and crypto exchange-traded notes (ETNs) to its retail investor clients.

The firm, which manages approximately £173 billion in assets, made the products available nearly a year after stating that bitcoin was “not an asset class” and warning customers against investing in the cryptocurrency. The Bristol-based company now provides access to ETNs that track the price of bitcoin and other digital assets on its platform.

In its previous warning, Hargreaves Lansdown characterized bitcoin as a “highly volatile investment” much riskier than stocks or bonds, advising that it should not be relied upon to meet financial goals. The firm continues to caution that crypto ETNs are considered high-risk and may be volatile.

The move follows the landmark approval of spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds in the United States in 2024, which attracted massive inflows and are now collectively managed by firms like BlackRock and Fidelity.