Barclays Doubles Down: Blocks Crypto Purchases Via Credit Cards in 2025 Crackdown

Barclays slams the brakes on crypto speculation—no more digital asset purchases with their credit cards. The move reeks of traditional finance's love-hate relationship with decentralization.

Why now? The bank claims 'risk management,' but cynics note it's conveniently timed with crypto's latest bull run. Guess they'd rather you rack up debt on depreciating fiat assets instead.

Silver lining? DeFi doesn't care about your legacy banking restrictions. On-chain transactions are still wide open—just how Satoshi intended.

Why Has Barclays Decided To Ban Cryptocurrency Purchases With Credit Cards?

The crypto sector is plagued with risks. The budding asset class has seen incredible adoption over the last few years. Despite the incremental growth, the industry has a history of aggressive volatility.

According to the bank’s website, “.”

The ban was first mentioned earlier this year in February in regards to Barclays’ US operations. Paul Wilmore, managing director at Barclaycard, had stated, ““

The decision to halt cryptocurrency purchases with their credit cards seems to have spread to the United Kingdom.

MasterCard recently partnered with chainlink to allow cardholders to buy cryptocurrencies directly onchain. Barclays’ decision seems to be on the other side of the court.

Will The Sector Suffer?

Halting cryptocurrency purchases with a credit card could have negative reverberations for the sector. We could see a dip in retail investments over the next few months.

The crypto market is only just recovering from its recent dip. Global geopolitical tensions and trade wars have led to a substantial rise in uncertainty. The Federal Reserve’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged has also led to retail investors taking a back seat. Lower interest rates would have made borrowing easier. Such a scenario often leads to investors taking more risks.