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If you have an Individual Savings Account (ISA), a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP), or both, it’s clear that you care about building a solid financial future, whether that’s through long-term savings, retirement planning, or just making smarter money moves.
If that’s the case, chances are you’ve looked at the numbers and thought about trying crypto by investing or trading in the crypto market.
Because let’s be honest, while ISAs and SIPPs offer great benefits like those tax incentives, the returns from them as investments can feel a bit… underwhelming.
And when the pace of that growth keeps you tied to a job you don’t love or pushes the idea of financial freedom further out of reach, it forces you to start thinking differently. So you might begin to ask:
“Is there a way to combine crypto’s high-growth potential with the tax benefits I already have?”
It’s a fair question. But can you actually do it? That’s exactly what this guide is here to explore. We’ll look at what’s allowed, what’s not, and how you might get crypto exposure without giving up the tax efficiency of your ISA or SIPP.
Understanding ISAs and SIPPs
Before we get into crypto, let’s quickly run through the basics, starting with ISAs.
You’re probably already familiar with this, but to clear up any confusion, an Individual Savings Account (ISA), as the name implies, is a savings account that lets you save or invest without paying tax on the interest, dividends, or capital gains you earn.
When using this type of account, you get an ISA allowance every tax year (currently £20,000), which you can split across different types of ISAs. The idea of an ISA is simple: grow your money without HMRC taking a cut.
There are a few types of ISA, each with different rules and benefits, depending on your savings and investment goals. Here are a few examples: Cash ISA, Stocks and Shares ISA, Lifetime ISA, and Innovative Finance ISA, among others.
They all sit under the same annual allowance. While some offer more flexibility than others, the core appeal is the same: tax-efficient growth.
On the other hand, a self-invested Personal Pension (SIPP) is a defined contribution pension, which means that the amount you get on retirement depends on three major factors: how much you pay, how your investments perform, and the fees your provider charges.
With this type of pension, you set it up yourself, choose your provider, and decide how much and how often to contribute. Plus, you get control over how your money is invested, and you can do this by either picking the investments yourself or leaving them to be managed for you.
Like ISAs, SIPPs come with profound tax benefits. That’s why they’re so popular. But here’s the catch (for both ISAs and SIPPs): not every type of investment is allowed in them.
PS: It’s important to talk to a tax professional and a qualified financial advisor before investing in some of these financial products.
Can You Directly Hold Crypto in an ISA?
Of all the financial markets available today, crypto is one of the fastest growing, and there’s a reason for that. It’s global, runs 24/7, and is built on technology that’s reshaping how the world of finance works.
It also offers the potential for massive, rapid gains. That’s why many financially conscious people are looking for ways to get involved, whether through shorter-term moves like crypto trading or holding for the long haul to capture the kind of returns most asset classes don’t deliver.
Yes, it’s volatile, but that volatility creates the opportunity. However, crypto’s upside is harder to ignore, and more investors are seriously exploring ways to access it, even within the limits of an ISA.
So, it’s fair to ask: is there an ISA that allows you to invest in or trade crypto?
No, there’s none (at least as of 2025). The current HMRC rules don’t allow you to directly hold cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum in an ISA. Why? Because ISAs are limited to FCA-approved investments, such as listed stocks, funds, ETFs, and bonds. Sadly, crypto doesn’t qualify (yet).
That said, there are indirect ways to tap into the crypto space’s growth potential, which we’ll discuss below.
Note: You might come across some platforms claiming to offer “crypto exposure” within an ISA. But here’s what’s going on: most of these are Exchange-Traded Products (ETPs for crypto) or synthetic instruments listed on overseas exchanges. And they’re not ISA-eligible under UK rules.
Can You Hold Crypto in a SIPP?
Unlike ISAs, Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) offer a broader range of investment options. That flexibility opens the door a little wider. Technically, yes, you can include crypto assets in a SIPP if your provider allows it. But in practice, that’s a big if.
Most mainstream SIPP providers do not support crypto trading directly. The reasons are familiar: volatility, custody issues, regulatory uncertainty, and ongoing scrutiny from HMRC.
That said, a few niche providers offer indirect exposure, usually through listed crypto funds or investment trusts that track the price of assets like Bitcoin or Ethereum without requiring you to hold the coins yourself.
So, if you’ve got an SIPP, there are ways to benefit from the growth of the crypto market, just not most directly or straightforwardly. You’ll need the right provider, setup, and a clear understanding of what’s allowed.
Getting Crypto Exposure Within the Rules
You can’t hold crypto directly in an ISA or SIPP. However, there are still ways to gain indirect exposure to the crypto market while staying within HMRC rules. These options don’t give you pure crypto holdings, but they can offer some correlation to the space.
Here’s how investors are doing it:
1. Crypto-Related Stocks
The most popular way to do this is to invest in shares in companies deeply tied to the crypto industry. Think Coinbase, MicroStrategy, or even Nvidia, which produces the chips used in crypto mining and AI infrastructure. These stocks are listed on recognised exchanges, making them fully ISA and SIPP-compliant.
The goal is to invest in businesses operating in the crypto space, not in the cryptocurrencies themselves. So, your exposure is indirect and depends on how those companies perform.
2. Blockchain ETFs
These are exchange-traded funds that invest in companies building or using blockchain technology. Here are some examples of blockchain ETFs.
Because they’re regulated and traded on major exchanges, they’re eligible for both ISAs and SIPPs. Again, you’re backing the broader ecosystem, not holding crypto directly.
Making Crypto Work With the System
Crypto might not fit neatly into your ISA or SIPP, but that doesn’t mean it’s off the table. With the right approach, you can still build some exposure while keeping things tax-efficient.
The key is knowing what’s allowed and not getting caught up in clever marketing. It’s not about chasing hype; it’s about making smarter moves with your existing tools. If you’re thinking long-term, that’s what really counts.