In a move that will make crypto purchases for UK customers far smoother, popular cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase announced today it has added support for pound sterling (GBP) deposits and withdrawals.
Announced this morning on the US-based exchange’s blog, and via an email to users, the company explained:
Until now, the process of converting bitcoin, bitcoin cash, ethereum and litecoin into euros and then into pound sterling, via international bank transfer, took several days. Customers will now be able to transfer pound sterling and use it to directly buy and sell these cryptocurrencies
Available for “select customers” from today, the email added that the service will soon be coming to all customers in the UK.
Describing how the exchange has “worked hard” over recent months to add the new GBP offering, the blog post relates that they have taken “major strides” to make Coinbase compliant, including obtaining an e-money license from the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
In addition, Coinbase UK will now be supporting the Faster Payments Scheme – a banking initiative that reduces payment times for transactions under £250,000. Talking to Hard Fork, a Coinbase spokesperson explained how the scheme will be incorporated:
Faster Payments is a UK scheme. It is not available outside the UK. Generally speaking, Coinbase strives to provide our customers globally with the easiest way to convert fiat in to crypto[currency] and back. We will continue to invest in partnerships and infrastructure that helps us deliver this.
Coinbase Pushing for the Mainstream
This latest addition comes at a time when the exchange is rapidly seeking to expand its offerings and widen its mainstream appeal.
Recently seeing its ads returning to Google, Facebook and Instagram in a policy reversal that was significant for the industry as a whole, the exchange has also recently launched a crypto-gift card service that allows customers to purchase gift cards with cryptocurrencies for major stores such as Nike, Tesco and Google Play.
