Crypto ETPs in your ISA: all you need to know before 5 April

From October 2025 to April 2026, UK retail investors could hold crypto ETPs inside a stocks and shares ISA -  shielded from capital gains tax, and accessible through mainstream platforms. That window closes on 5 April. What remains is a grandfather clause: existing positions stay protected. For anyone who hasn't acted yet, this is the last call.

What's just changed with crypto ETPs and ISAs?

HM Revenue & Customs has reclassified cryptocurrency exchange-traded products (ETPs) as qualifying investments only for Innovative Finance ISAs (IFISAs), rather than mainstream stocks and shares ISAs. The practical consequence: from 6 April 2026, you will not be able to open new positions or add to existing crypto ETP holdings within a stocks and shares ISA.

When did crypto ETPs become ISA-eligible in the first place?

The FCA lifted the ban on crypto ETNs in August 2025 for retail investors, with the change coming into effect on 8 October 2025, prompting HMRC to announce that these products would be immediately eligible for inclusion in stocks and shares ISAs for the 2025-2026 tax year. The window of full eligibility lasted roughly six months.

I already hold crypto ETPs in my ISA. Am I forced to sell?

This is the good news and the key clarification: No. Any crypto ETPs purchased on or before 5 April 2026 can remain in your stocks and shares ISA. You are not required to sell these holdings. HMRC clarified that extending the prohibition to current holdings could cause market disruption and pose operational challenges for ISA managers, hence the grandfather provision.

So what exactly is the window here?

Between now and 5 April 2026, UK investors can still establish or grow a crypto ETP position inside a stocks and shares ISA and benefit from capital gains-free growth on that holding indefinitely. From 6 April 2026 onwards, new purchases will be disabled, but you will retain full control over existing positions and may sell them at your discretion at any time.

In short: positions established before the deadline are grandfathered. Any investment made after the deadline will sit outside the ISA and would instead be held in either a SIPP, a GIA or an Innovative Finance ISA, each subject to their own standard tax treatment.

Can't I just hold crypto ETPs in an Innovative Finance ISA instead?

In theory, yes. In practice, no. None of the 57 platforms currently authorised to offer Innovative Finance ISAs has plans to support crypto ETPs. No investment platform currently holds authorisation to offer both crypto ETPs and IFISAs, meaning there is no practical route for investors to place the products inside any ISA from 6 April.

Which platforms currently support crypto ETPs in a stocks and shares ISA?

Platforms including Interactive Investor, Freetrade, Revolut, Trading 212, Saxo, and Moneyfarm currently provide access to the products. Major providers such as Hargreaves Lansdown and AJ Bell do not currently offer crypto ETPs, although Hargreaves Lansdown is reportedly preparing to introduce them by June. Timing matters here: if your preferred platform hasn't enabled crypto ETPs yet, you may not have enough runway before the deadline.

What should investors be thinking about right now?

If you're already allocated to crypto ETPs and hold them in a taxable account, this is worth examining. The ISA allowance- £20,000 per tax year- shields any future gains from capital gains tax entirely. For an asset class with crypto's historical return profile and volatility, that wrapper has genuine long-term value.

The window is narrow as the rule change is confirmed. Whether or not you choose to act, the decision should be an informed one.