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IG Group has made history as the first º£½ÇÊÓƵ-listed company to offer crypto trading to retail investors. The FTSE 250 firm's move comes amidst a flurry of policy proposals aimed at attracting digital currency investors.

The trading platform now allows customers to purchase, sell and hold crypto assets, with IG Group levying a 1.49 per cent fee on each transaction, as reported by .

Michael Healy, º£½ÇÊÓƵ managing director of IG Group, hailed the development: "This is a huge moment for IG and a major milestone in the º£½ÇÊÓƵ's crypto journey, with retail investors now able to buy, sell and hold crypto assets with a grown-up business."

Healy further highlighted the growing acceptance of digital currencies and the evolving regulatory landscape: "Adoption is rapidly growing and with º£½ÇÊÓƵ crypto regulation gathering steam, we want to give existing and future investors a platform where they can trade crypto with clear and transparent fees, with a provider already used by hundreds of thousands of retail investors."

The new service, launched in collaboration with crypto firm Uphold, is fully integrated across IG Group's platform. Customers can seamlessly switch from their digital currency account to any other accounts, such as an ISA, held with IG Group.

Uphold will handle all customer transactions and supply pricing data, the firm added.

Retail trading of cryptocurrencies has often encountered significant obstacles, with banks like Metro Bank and Chase º£½ÇÊÓƵ blocking deposits into exchanges. This makes IG Group's launch a potential game-changer in terms of accessibility.

º£½ÇÊÓƵ crypto policy

Reform º£½ÇÊÓƵ has recently launched a campaign to attract digital currency investors, unveiling a suite of pro-crypto policies. These include proposals to slash capital gains taxes on cryptocurrencies from 24 per cent to 10 per cent, the creation of a "sovereign Bitcoin reserve fund," and plans for HMRC to accept tax payments in crypto.