Don't invest unless you're prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more.
Estimated reading time: 2 min
Due to the potential for losses, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) considers this investment to be high risk.
What are the key risks?
1. You could lose all the money you invest
The performance of most cryptoassets can be highly volatile, with their value dropping as quickly as it can rise. You should be prepared to lose all the money you invest in cryptoassets.
The cryptoasset market is largely unregulated. There is a risk of losing money or any cryptoassets you purchase due to risks such as cyber-attacks, financial crime and firm failure.
2. You should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) doesn't protect this type of investment because it's not a 'specified investment' under the UK regulatory regime – in other words, this type of investment isn't recognised as the sort of investment that the FSCS can protect. Learn more by using the FSCS investment protection checker.
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) will not be able to consider complaints related to this firm or Protection from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) does not cover poor investment performance. If you have a complaint against an FCA regulated firm, FOS may be able to consider it. Learn more about FOS protection here.
3. You may not be able to sell your investment when you want to
There is no guarantee that investments in cryptoassets can be easily sold at any given time. The ability to sell a cryptoasset depends on various factors, including the supply and demand in the market at that time.
Operational failings such as technology outages, cyber-attacks and comingling of funds could cause unwanted delay and you may be unable to sell your cryptoassets at the time you want.
4. Cryptoasset investments can be complex
Investments in cryptoassets can be complex, making it difficult to understand the risks associated with the investment.
You should do your own research before investing. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
5. Don't put all your eggs in one basket
Putting all your money into a single type of investment is risky. Spreading your money across different investments makes you less dependent on any one to do well.
A good rule of thumb is not to invest more than 10% of your money in high-risk investments.
If you are interested in learning more about how to protect yourself, visit the FCA's website here.
For further information about cryptoassets, visit the FCA's website here.
While Coinbase may eclipse Uphold in terms of size and profile, Uphold is a relative newcomer with some innovative features ready to shake up the crypto market. Already it has a debit card and staking options in its arsenal, as well as the ability to integrate third-party apps. So, is Uphold ready to challenge the big hitters?
Uphold is registered with the UK financial watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which gives you, as a prospective user, some reassurance. It doesn’t mean that your funds are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), but it does mean Uphold has committed to FCA rules about anti-money laundering and terrorism financing. Only companies operating crypto from a base in the UK need to register with the FCA. US-based Coinbase is not on the FCA register, but it is a well-established and popular platform with over 98 million verified users. For the purpose of this comparison, we will be reviewing Coinbase’s basic platform and not Coinbase Pro.
Both platforms have a comprehensive amount of supported coins including a good number of altcoins each. They sit nicely between big hitters like Crypto.com and entry-level platforms like Koinal. Unless you’re looking for something really unusual, you’ll most likely find what you need with either platform.
Once again, Uphold and Coinbase are pretty evenly matched when it comes to the number of supported fiat currencies. Uphold has slightly more available, but GBP is supported by both platforms for deposits and withdrawals.
Uphold’s fees are more transparent than Coinbase’s. There are no charges for fiat deposits or withdrawals. And when trading you’ll just pay the spread, which is capped at 1.25% for UK users. In contrast, Coinbase’s fees can be quite confusing. There are deposit fees, spread, trading fees and withdrawal fees – which can all add up.
Winner: Uphold
Round 5: Wallets
Coinbase’s wallet has lots of functionality. It is a self-custody wallet that supports every ERC-20 token. It also acts as a springboard for access to the decentralised web, facilitating access to DeFi liquidity pools and decentralised exchanges. In contrast, Uphold’s wallets are custodial, meaning it holds your private keys and stores your crypto. It has several different wallet options, including BTC, XRP, ETH and LTC. If you want more control over your crypto assets, Coinbase’s wallet is more likely to offer you what you need.
Winner: Coinbase
Round 6: Ease of use
Coinbase is well-known as a beginner-friendly platform. It has a good balance between advanced features and intuitive UI. It’s easy to set up an account and you have trading tools such as recurring buys and vault protection at your fingertips. Meanwhile, Uphold has a 1 step platform which allows users to buy and sell assets from a single screen. It does also have multiple exchange features, which can take time to familiarise yourself with. But for simple trading, it’s an easy process.
Winner: Tie
Round 7: Security
Uphold hasn’t had any successful hacks to date, and states that it undergoes regular security audits and penetration testing. It is 100% reserved, so never lends or loans out users’ assets or funds. However, it doesn’t offer any insurance. Coinbase, meanwhile, has substantial insurance in place. It did experience a hack in 2021 but reimbursed all users that were affected.
Winner: Tie
Verdict: Is Coinbase better than Uphold?
It’s a close-run competition between Uphold and Coinbase. Uphold has some innovative features such as third-party app integration and a transparent fee structure. While Coinbase’s size and experience means that you have everything you need to start trading cryptocurrency at your fingertips. You can take advantage of learning resources, earn free crypto and stay in control of your crypto assets all through the beginner-friendly platform. Overall, it’s hard to pick a definitive winner. But if you are looking for the most cost-efficent way to trade, then Uphold would be the way to go.
*Cryptocurrencies aren't regulated in the UK and there's no protection from the Financial Ombudsman or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Your capital is at risk. Capital gains tax on profits may apply.
Cryptocurrencies are speculative and investing in them involves significant risks - they're highly volatile, vulnerable to hacking and sensitive to secondary activity. The value of investments can fall as well as rise and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This content shouldn't be interpreted as a recommendation to invest. Before you invest, you should get advice and decide whether the potential return outweighs the risks. Finder, or the author, may have holdings in the cryptocurrencies discussed.
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To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Moira Daniels as part of our fact-checking process.
Kate Steere is an editor at Finder, specialising in fintech, banking and cryptocurrency. She has previously written for The Motley Fool UK and Fitch Solutions, where she covered a wide range of personal finance topics and kept a close eye on market trends. Kate has a Bachelor of Arts in Modern History from the University of East Anglia. When not working, she can usually be found curled up with a good book or heading out for a run. See full bio
Kate's expertise
Kate has written 176 Finder guides across topics including:
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