Here is your weekly round-up of UK crypto news, explained in plain English for beginners.
From 6 April 2026, UK investors can hold certain crypto products inside an Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA) and pay no tax on any gains. This follows a decision by HMRC to classify crypto exchange-traded notes (ETNs) as eligible IFISA assets.
ETNs are financial products that track the price of a cryptocurrency without you needing to buy or store the crypto directly. They trade like shares and are available through regulated providers.
A company called Stratiphy is already offering access to three crypto ETNs through an IFISA. The options track Bitcoin, Ethereum, and a combined Bitcoin and gold product. These are provided by 21Shares, a regulated asset manager.
This is significant for UK beginners because ISAs are one of the simplest ways to invest without worrying about capital gains tax. The standard ISA allowance is £20,000 per tax year.
A few things worth knowing:
Source: Tax-free bitcoin is back: How UK investors can now hold crypto in their ISAs (CoinDesk)
New to crypto? Start with our guide to what crypto actually is before thinking about how to invest.
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) carried out its first major enforcement operation against illegal crypto trading on 22 April 2026. Working with HMRC and the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit, the FCA raided eight sites across London.
The targets were peer-to-peer (P2P) crypto trading operations. These are businesses that match buyers and sellers of crypto directly, outside of regulated exchanges. The sites were operating without FCA registration and had no anti-money laundering controls in place.
Authorities seized evidence, issued cease-and-desist notices, and opened criminal investigations.
Why does this matter to you as a beginner? If you use an unregistered crypto firm:
The FCA’s advice is clear: always check that any crypto firm you use is registered on the FCA register before handing over money.
Also worth knowing: a common scam tactic is to contact people pretending to be HMRC and claim their crypto funds will be seized unless they act immediately. This is not how HMRC operates. If you get a call like this, hang up.
Source: UK FCA carries out coordinated crackdown on illegal peer-to-peer crypto trading (CoinDesk)
Not sure what counts as a legitimate crypto platform? Check our resources page for beginner-friendly options.
Bitcoin ended the week above $78,000, up around 5.8% over five days as of Friday 25 April. Ethereum also rose, reaching above $2,300, up roughly 2.7% over the same period.
The price rises followed news that the US-Iran ceasefire has been extended. Crypto markets, like stock markets, often react to major geopolitical events. When tensions ease, investors tend to feel more confident putting money into riskier assets like crypto.
That said, traders remain cautious. Oil prices are elevated, and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz is still unstable, with Iran firing on ships in the area recently.
For beginners, this is a good example of how crypto prices can be driven by events that seem unrelated to crypto itself. Bitcoin is increasingly treated like a risk asset by large investors, which means it tends to rise when global confidence rises, and fall when it drops.
Source: Bitcoin and Ethereum prices today, Friday April 24 2026 (Yahoo Finance)
Want to understand why Bitcoin prices move the way they do? Our glossary explains the key terms.
NoobCrypto is an information site only. Nothing in this post is financial advice. Cryptocurrency is high risk. Always do your own research.