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User Agreement for Residents and Businesses Registered in the UK

Last updated 15 Sept 2021

Cryptoasset trading involves a high degree of risk. Cryptoassets may experience frequent price volatility due to (i) the small use of Cryptoassets in the retail and commercial marketplace in comparison to relatively large use by speculators and (ii) the lack of assurance that a person or institution who accepts Cryptoassets as payment today will continue to do so in the future. Such price volatility may adversely affect an investment in Cryptoassets so prior to using Uphold, please evaluate the merits and risks of the investment and be able to bear the economic risk of losing your entire investment in a short period of time.

This User Agreement (this “Agreement”) is for our users who are residents of, located in, or who access our Platform from, the United Kingdom, and governs the access and use of our mobile applications, products, software, websites, APIs, and other services (our “Platform”) and the services we provide to you.

Where you are a developer, you must also agree to our Developer Agreement.

This is a binding contract between you and Uphold Europe Limited, Company No. 09281410, Registered Office: Eastcastle House, 27/28 Eastcastle Street, London, United Kingdom, W1W 8DH (“Uphold”). 

Before signing up to Uphold and accessing or using any of our services, you must read, agree and accept all of the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement, as well as our Privacy Policy available.

You should read this Agreement carefully and make sure you understand the terms and conditions contained within it. If you do not understand any of the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement, please contact us before signing up and accessing or using our services. 

  1. About Us

    Uphold (FRN: 900577) is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority under the Financial Conduct Authority’s Temporary Registration Regime for cryptoasset firms and complies with the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer for Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 as amended.

    Uphold is also an EMD agent of Optimus Cards UK Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to issue e-money (FRN: 902034) pursuant to the Electronic Money Regulations 2011.

  2. Definitions

    “Cryptoasset” means a cryptoasset (also called a "cryptocurrency," "virtual currency," "digital currency," or "virtual commodity"), such as bitcoin or ether, which is a digital representation of value based on (or built on top of) a cryptographic protocol of a computer network.

    “Uphold Account” means the cryptoasset account you open with us through the Platform which is to be operated and used by you in accordance with this Agreement.

  3. Your Uphold Account

    Your Uphold Account is a Cryptoasset account that enables you to buy, sell, hold, manage and transfer your balances of Cryptoassets by giving instructions through the Platform (each transaction is a “Cryptoasset Transaction”) in accordance with this Agreement.

    You may have one or more sub-accounts each corresponding to a different Cryptoasset that Uphold makes available from time to time.

    You are also able to open up an electronic money account with Optimus Cards UK Limited (“Optimus”). Your electronic money account is subject to separate terms and conditions found here.

    Access to electronic money services is not automatic and is only provided where Uphold and Optimus decide to provide them and where you hold an Uphold Account.

  4. Registering Your Uphold Account

    1.  In order to use our services and open an Uphold Account you need to register your details on the Platform.
    2. You must comply with anti-money laundering obligations in order to open an Uphold Account. This will require you, as part of the registration process, to provide personal details and supporting documents (including your full name, residential address and postcode, mobile number, email address, date of birth, and certain forms of identification), and other evidence and documentation we may ask you to provide, so that we may verify your identity.
    3. We reserve the right to require you to provide us with additional information in order to verify your identity and/or require you to undergo a background check prior to being authorised to use Uphold’s or its affiliates services, or at any point thereafter, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. You acknowledge and agree that we may make any inquiries that we consider necessary, either directly or through third parties, concerning your identity and creditworthiness including, without limitation, requiring you to take steps to confirm ownership of your email address or financial instruments, ordering a credit report, or verifying information against third party databases or through other sources. These inquiries and verification may involve the sharing of certain aspects of your information with third parties for the limited purpose of completing these inquiries and verification.
    4. All information you provide during the Uphold Account registration process or at any time after must be true, accurate and up to date. Once we have received and approved your application, we will send a confirmation to your email address.
    5. As part of the registration process, you will need to accept this Agreement. Where you use additional services provided by us, you may be asked to accept additional terms and conditions.
    6. You must be 18 years or older to open an Uphold Account and use our services, including the electronic money services. By opening an Uphold Account you declare that you are 18 years or older. We may require at any time that you provide evidence of your age.
    7. You may only open an Uphold Account if you are a resident of the United Kingdom. By opening an Uphold Account you represent and warrant to us that your opening of an Uphold Account does not violate any laws or regulations applicable to you.
    8. You may only create, have, administer and/or control one Uphold Account. If you require an additional account, you must first obtain our written consent to do so. You may request an additional Uphold Account through our support contact form. We are under no obligation to approve the opening by you of any additional Uphold Accounts. 
    9. If we find that you have opened, operated and/or are operating an additional Uphold Account, or more than one Uphold Account at any one time without our consent we reserve all rights, including but not limited to, terminating your Uphold Account(s), suspending your use of the Platform and taking whatever other means we deem necessary to protect our users, us and the Platform.

  5. Account Access

    1. You will be asked to set up an email and password in order to access your Uphold Account. You will also be required to set up two-factor authentication (“2FA”).
    2. The Platform may also permit you to log into your Uphold Account using third-party login credentials via a single sign-on (“SSO”) service, such as your social media accounts or other identity verification services.
    3. If you use an SSO service to access your Uphold Account and you terminate your relationship with the relevant SSO service provider (e.g., you delete your linked social media account), you will only be able to access your Uphold Account via your email and password until you authorise a different SSO service. Your email, password, 2FA credentials and SSO credentials are referred to collectively as “Login Credentials”.
    4. You agree that you will not grant any person access to your Uphold Account. You are only permitted to access your Uphold Account using your Login Credentials and other required forms of authentication.
    5. You agree to keep your Login Credentials and any other required forms of authentication, including your API keys, confidential and separate from each other, as well as separate from any other information or documents relating to your Uphold Account.
    6. You agree and understand that you are solely responsible (and you will not hold us responsible) for managing, monitoring, and maintaining the security of your login credentials and any other required forms of authentication, including your API keys. You further agree and understand that we are not responsible (and you will not hold us responsible) for any unauthorised access to or use of your Uphold Account.
    7. You should never allow remote access or share your computer and/or computer screen with someone else when you are logged on to your Uphold Account. Uphold will never under any circumstances ask you for your IDs, passwords, or authentication codes or to screen share or otherwise seek to access your computer or account. You should not provide your details to any third party for the purposes of remotely accessing your account unless specifically authorised. Always log into your Uphold Account through the Platform to review any Cryptoasset transactions or required actions if you have any uncertainty regarding the authenticity of any communication or notice.
    8.  If you suspect that your Uphold Account or any of your security details have been compromised or if you become aware of any fraud or attempted fraud or any other security incident (including a cyber-security attack) affecting you and/or Uphold, you must notify Support as soon as possible here.

  6. Authorised Persons

    1. If you are setting up an Uphold Account on behalf of a legal entity, the Uphold Account will be operated by your authorised persons i.e., employees and/or persons authorised to access and use the Uphold Account and Platform (each an “Authorised Person”).
    2. All Authorised Persons must take all reasonable steps to keep Login Credentials secure and must notify us without undue delay on becoming aware of the loss, theft, misappropriation, or unauthorised use of Login Credentials.
    3. We will be entitled to rely on any instruction, notice, or communication, whether oral or in writing, that we believe to be from an Authorised Person and you will be bound thereby. We are under no further duty of inquiry or verification regarding the identity or capacity of any Authorised Person and any such person will be viewed as having the authority to do so from you.
    4. You will not permit any person or entity other than an Authorised Person to access your Uphold Account and/or the Platform. You acknowledge that Uphold will not be liable for any losses whatsoever arising as a result of any unauthorised Cryptoasset Transactions submitted on your behalf.

  7. Cryptoasset Services

    We provide you with the ability to buy and sell Cryptoassets using your Uphold Account and the Platform.

    You can buy and/or sell Cryptoassets on the Platform using:
      • E-Money from your electronic money account with Optimus
      • Fiat currency (e.g., GBP and EUR) supported by Uphold; and/or
      • Cryptoassets supported by Uphold, (the “Services”.)
    2. We also facilitate and enable the transfer of Cryptoassets between users of the Platform.
    3. You may purchase Supported Cryptoassets by linking a valid payment method to your Uphold Account. You authorise us to debit funds using your selected payment method(s) to complete your purchase.
    4. Although we will attempt to deliver Cryptoassets to your Uphold Account as promptly as possible, funds may be debited from your selected payment method before the status of your Cryptoasset Transaction is shown as complete, and the Cryptoasset is delivered to your Uphold Account.
    5. You may sell Cryptoassets in exchange for fiat currency (such as GBP or EUR) supported by Uphold. In such circumstances, you authorise us to debit your Uphold Account and to send instructions to credit your selected payment method(s) in settlement of Cryptoasset Transactions. We will send these instructions as soon as reasonably possible.
    6. Any fiat currency (such as GBP or EUR) should be credited to your selected payment method(s) by the end of the 2nd business day after we send such instructions. The availability of a method of payment depends on a number of factors including, for example, where you are located, the identification information you have provided to us, and limitations imposed by third-party payment processors.
    7. We will make reasonable efforts to fulfil all purchases of Cryptoassets but in some circumstances, we may be unable to or there will be a delay. This is because we rely on third parties such as exchanges whose availability is outside of our control, our security protocols may delay the initiation or crediting of the Cryptoasset Transaction, and/or the Platform may be down. If this is the case, we will notify you and process the Cryptoasset Transaction as soon as the circumstances causing the delay are remedied.
    8. You acknowledge that the buy price of a Cryptoasset may not be the same as the selling price at any given time and that we may include a “spread” in the quoted price. You agree to accept the rate when you authorise a Cryptoasset Transaction. We do not guarantee that you will be able to buy and/or sell your Cryptoassets on the open market at any particular price or time.
    9. By clicking the “Confirm Trade”, “Confirm Deposit”, “Confirm Withdrawal”, or “Confirm Send” button on the Site, you are authorising Uphold to initiate the Cryptoasset Transaction at the quoted buy or sell price and you agree to any associated fees disclosed to you at this time.
    10. We will process Cryptoasset Transactions in accordance with the instructions we receive from you. You should verify all transaction information prior to submitting instructions to us. We do not guarantee the identity of any user, receiver, requester, or other third-party and we will have no liability or responsibility for ensuring that the information you provide is accurate and complete.
    11. You cannot cancel, reverse, or change any transaction marked as complete or pending.
    12. If your payment is not successful or if your payment method has insufficient funds, you authorise us, in our sole discretion, either to cancel the transaction or to debit your other payment methods, including balances on your Uphold Account, in any amount necessary to complete the transaction. This includes the sums for the Cryptoasset Transaction as well as our fees.
    13. You are responsible for maintaining an adequate balance and/or sufficient credit limits in order to avoid overdraft, insufficient funds, or similar fees charged by your payment provider. We reserve the right to suspend access to our Services until such insufficient payment is addressed.
    14. We may charge fees to process a Cryptoasset Transaction on your behalf. We will calculate the fees at our discretion, although we will always notify you of these fees at (or before) the time you authorise the Cryptoasset Transaction. A full list of Uphold’s fees can be found here.
    15. When you or a third party sends a Cryptoasset to an Uphold Account from an external Cryptoasset wallet not hosted on the Platform, the person initiating the transaction is solely responsible for executing the transaction properly, which may include, among other things, payment of fees in order for the transaction to be completed successfully.
    16. We may refuse to process or cancel any pending Cryptoasset Transaction as required by law, regulation, or any court or other authority to which Uphold is subject in any jurisdiction, for instance, if there is suspicion of money laundering, terrorist financing, fraud, or any other financial crime.
    17. The use of our Services may be subject to limits on the volume, stated in GBP, EUR, or other fiat currency or Cryptoasset that you may transact or transfer in a given period. You can view your limits via the Platform. Your transaction limits may vary depending on your payment method, verification steps you have completed, and other factors. We reserve the right to change applicable limits, as we deem necessary. If you wish to raise your limits beyond the posted amounts, you may contact us here.

  8. Supported Cryptoassets

    1. You agree and understand that we support, at our sole discretion, certain Cryptoassets on the Platform (each, a “Supported Cryptoasset”). The list of Supported Cryptoassets is available here.
    2. Only Cryptoassets listed as “Tier 3” on our Transparency Page are available to be deposited directly onto the Platform or directly withdrawn from the Platform to an external blockchain address. Once you have a positive balance in your Uphold Account, you may create sub-accounts for Cryptoassets listed as Tier 4 on our Transparency Page and perform transactions between Cryptoassets regardless of Tier, but to withdraw value held in a Tier 4 Cryptoasset or to transfer it off the Platform, you must first convert it to either a Tier 3 Cryptoasset or a Tier 1 fiat currency. Note that not all currencies or Cryptoassets listed on the Transparency Page are available for users in the United Kingdom. Cryptoassets that are not available for users in the United Kingdom will not appear as available options to buy, sell, send, or exchange from within your Uphold Account.
    3. We may in our sole discretion terminate support for any Cryptoasset or change the Tier at which it is supported. We will endeavour to provide you no less than 30 days’ notice (unless a shorter period is required by applicable law or a regulatory authority) via email to the email address associated with your Uphold Account to announce the end of such support.
    4. If you do not sell or send such unsupported Cryptoasset off of the platform during the time of this notice period before a Cryptoasset is no longer supported, we reserve the right to withdraw such Cryptoasset from your account and credit your Uphold Account with the then-current market value of a supported Cryptoasset or a fiat currency (which denomination will be selected in our reasonable discretion, generally either GBP or BTC).
    5. Under no circumstances should you attempt to use your Uphold Account to store, send, request, or receive any Cryptoassets other than Supported Cryptoassets. Uphold assumes no responsibility in connection with any attempt to use your Uphold Account with Cryptoassets we do not support. Unsupported Cryptoassets sent to the Platform may be permanently lost.
    6. You acknowledge and accept the risks of changes to our list of Supported Cryptoassets and agree that Uphold is not liable for any losses or tax consequences you may experience as a result of such changes in the Cryptoassets we support. You acknowledge and accept that Uphold has sole discretion to determine which Cryptoassets it supports including where, in our sole discretion, we decide to withdraw and no longer support a particular Cryptoasset.
    7. In circumstances where we cease to support a particular Cryptoasset, we will close out your order at the market price immediately prior to us ceasing to support the particular Cryptoasset.

  9. Recurring Transactions

    1. You are permitted to set up a recurring purchase of Cryptoassets (a "Recurring Transaction"), and you authorise us to initiate recurring electronic payments in accordance with your selected Cryptoasset Transaction and any corresponding payment accounts, such as direct debits from, or credits to, your linked bank account.
    2. Your Recurring Transactions will occur in identical periodic instalments based on your period selection (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly) until either you or we cancel the Future Transaction
    3. Where you set up a Recurring Transaction, this will be subject to separate terms and conditions available here.

  10. Custody of the Cryptoassets

    1. Uphold custodies your Cryptoassets in either your Uphold Account or a segregated custody account controlled and secured by Uphold. Cryptoassets custodied in your Uphold Account are pooled together in one or more of our Cryptoasset wallets.
    2. You control the Cryptoassets held in your Uphold Account.
    3. Beneficial ownership to the Cryptoasset will at all times remain with you and shall not transfer to any company in the Uphold Group. No company within the Uphold Group will have any liability for fluctuations in the fiat currency value of Cryptoassets held in your Uphold Account
    4. In order to more securely custody assets and ensure liquidity, Uphold may use shared blockchain addresses, controlled by Uphold, to hold Cryptoassets held on behalf of customers and/or held on behalf of Uphold. Uphold will have no obligation to segregate by blockchain address Cryptoassets owned by you from Cryptoassets owned by other customers or by Uphold.
    5. Cryptoassets custodied on your behalf are not treated as general assets of Uphold or any other Uphold company.
    6. We will not grant a security interest in the Cryptoassets held in your Uphold Account. Except as required by a valid court order, or except as provided herein, Uphold will not sell, transfer, loan, hypothecate, or otherwise alienate Cryptoassets in your Uphold Account unless instructed by you or compelled by a court of competent jurisdiction to do so.
    7. We track the balance and ownership of Cryptoassets of each Uphold Account. Where we provide you with information on the value of the Cryptoassets in your Uphold Account, we will provide this information based on the most recent available data. The data is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the price you may receive if you sell. You also acknowledge that the quotes, and information provided based on quotes, are obtained from sources that we believe to be reliable, but that we do not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of such quotes or information. You waive any claim that you might have against us or the quote provider related to the quotes or the quote-based information on the Platform.

  11. Deposits and Withdrawals

    1. At any time, subject to outages, downtime, and other applicable policies, you may withdraw your Tier 3 Cryptoassets by sending them to a different blockchain address controlled by you or a third party. Tier 4 Cryptoassets must be exchanged to a Tier 3 Cryptoasset before being sent to an external address.
    2. Cryptoasset deposits will typically be credited to your Uphold Account after the required number of network confirmations, as determined by us at our sole discretion, have occurred on the blockchain for such Cryptoassets. You agree and understand that in certain situations, Cryptoasset deposits may be delayed.
    3. Cryptoassets withdrawals will typically be processed at the speed of a Cryptoasset network. In certain situations, Cryptoasset withdrawals may be delayed.
    4. Withdrawals are subject to minimum balances which are made available to you. Account funding and withdrawal costs and limits can be reviewed here.

  12. Fees

    1. Uphold makes money when you purchase or sell digital currency on the Platform. A description of our fees can be found here. The fees posted here only apply to consumers.
    2. Business or institutional customers may be subject to a separate fee arrangement. Additional fees may be charged to high-volume customers. All fees will be notified to you in advance. 
    3. By using our Services you agree to pay all applicable fees. 
    4. We reserve the right to adjust its pricing and fees and any applicable waivers at any time. We will always notify you of the pricing and fees, which apply to your transaction (either using your Uphold Account or your E-Money Account) when you authorise the transaction and in each receipt, we issue to you.
    5. We may charge network fees to process a Cryptoasset Transaction on your behalf. We will calculate the network fee at our discretion, although we will always notify you of the network fee at or before the time you authorise the Transaction. 
    6. Non-payment of fees may cause your transaction to remain in a pending state outside of our control and we are not responsible for delays or loss incurred as a result of an error in the initiation of the transaction and have no obligation to assist in the remediation of such transactions.

  13. Risks

    1. Please note the following risks in accessing or using Uphold’s Services:
      • The risk of loss in trading Cryptoassets may be substantial and losses may occur over a short period of time; 
      • The price and liquidity of Cryptoassets has been subject to large fluctuations in the past and may be subject to large fluctuations in the future; 
      • Legislative and regulatory changes or actions may adversely affect the use, transfer, exchange, and value of Cryptoassets; 
      • In the UK, Uphold is not regulated as a bank or financial institution; 
      • Cryptoassets in your account are not subject to deposit insurance protection; 
      • Cryptoassets are not legal tender and are not backed by the government; 
      • Transactions in Cryptoassets may be irreversible, and, accordingly, losses due to fraudulent or accidental transactions may not be recoverable; 
      • Uphold relies on third parties (e.g., exchanges). There is therefore a risk that one or more of these parties may not perform as required by our agreements and you accept these risks, including the risk that we cannot execute a requested Cryptoasset Transaction; 
      • The value of Cryptoassets may be derived from the continued willingness of market participants to exchange fiat currency or Cryptoassets for other Cryptoassets, which may result in the potential for permanent and total loss of value of a particular Cryptoasset should the market for that Cryptoasset disappear;
      • In order remove Tier 4 Cryptoassets from the Platform, you must exchange the Cryptoasset to a medium of exchange supported by Uphold. In doing so, you will be exposed to the risk of that conversion; and 
      • The nature of Cryptoassets may lead to an increased risk of fraud or cyber-attack, and may mean that technological difficulties experienced by Uphold or its affiliates may prevent the access to or use of your Cryptoassets.
    2. Cryptoasset exchange and custody services are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority but are subject to anti-money laundering compliance and registration requirements under the UK’s Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing, and Transfer for Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (as amended) which have given effect in the UK to the European Union’s Fifth Money Laundering Directive.
    3. Please be aware that (i) you will have no recourse to the Financial Ombudsman Service in the event of a complaint relating to cryptoasset services; (ii) your account is not protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme; and (iii) Cryptoassets may experience frequent price volatility resulting in a high degree of risk. You can obtain further detailed information on your rights by visiting the Citizens Advice website www.adviceguide.org.uk or call 03454 04 05 06. Nothing in this Agreement will affect your legal rights.
    4. You agree and understand that you are solely responsible for determining the nature, potential value, suitability, and appropriateness of these risks for yourself, and that Uphold does not give advice or recommendations regarding Cryptoassets, including the suitability and appropriateness of, and investment strategies for, Cryptoassets. You agree and understand that you access and use Uphold at your own risk; however, this brief statement does not disclose all of the risks associated with Cryptoassets and using the Uphold Platform. 
    5. You should therefore carefully consider whether such use is suitable for you in light of your circumstances and financial resources. You should be aware that you may sustain a total loss of relevant funds, and that under certain market conditions, you may find it difficult or impossible to liquidate a position.

  14. Use of the Platform

    1. We grant you a limited, nonexclusive, non-transferable and non-sub licensable license to access and use the Platform solely for informational, transactional, or other approved purposes and reserve all other rights in the Platform, including without limitation, our websites, APIs, and other content. You agree you have no other rights beyond this limited license.
    2. You may print off one copy and may download extracts, of any page(s) from our site for your personal use and you may draw the attention of others within your organisation to content posted on our site. You must not modify the paper or digital copies of any materials you have printed off or downloaded in any way, and you must not use any illustrations, photographs, video or audio sequences, or any graphics separately from any accompanying text.
    3. Subject to the foregoing, you agree you will not copy, transmit, distribute, sell, resell, license, de-compile, reverse engineer, disassemble, modify, publish, participate in the transfer or sale of, create derivative works from, perform, display, incorporate into another website, or in any other way exploit any content or other part of the Platform for any purpose. You also agree that you will not frame or display any part of the Platform without our prior written permission and that you will not use our trademarks without our permission. You further agree that you will not use any part of the content on our site for commercial purposes without obtaining a licence to do so from us or our licensors.
    4. You understand and agree that the Platform is not provided to, and may not be used by, any person in any jurisdiction where the provision or use thereof would violate applicable laws and regulations. If you reside in any jurisdiction where the use of the Platform would violate any of the laws or regulations of the jurisdiction in which you reside, you agree to refrain from using the Platform in any manner that would violate any of the laws and regulations of such jurisdiction.

  15. Your Obligations

    1. You must comply with all applicable laws, regulations, licensing requirements, and third-party rights (including, without limitation, data privacy laws and anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing in your use of the Services and the Platform.
    2. You represent and warrant to us and agree that the following statements are and will remain true:
      • All information you provide to us will be complete and accurate and you commit to keeping all information complete and accurate at all times;
      • The information about your address and residency is correct and you will notify us if it changes;
      • You will provide us with your legal identity and any supporting information and documents that we may request, including but not limited to, a copy of your passport;
      • You reside in the United Kingdom;
      • You will not send, use or upload any scripts, viruses or malicious code. You will not develop extensions, plugins or applications except as may be allowed under our Developer Agreement;
      • You will not do anything that could disable, overburden or impair the functionality, rendering, or appearance of the Platform, including through denial of service or other attack;
      • You will not access the Platform using automated means of any nature and without our prior consent; and
      • You are at least 18 years old and have the capacity to enter into a legally binding agreement.
    3. In connection with your use of the Services and the Platform, and your interactions with other users and third parties, you agree to comply with our Prohibited Businesses and Prohibited Use Policy available here.
    4. Nothing contained herein should be construed as granting, by implication, estoppel or otherwise, any license or right for Cryptoassets to be used for illegal, unlawful, fraudulent, unethical, or unauthorised purposes or to promote or facilitate any illegal, unlawful, fraudulent, unethical or unauthorised activities.
    5. Your use of the Services and the Platform is subject to international export controls and economic sanctions requirements. By sending, receiving, buying, selling, trading, or storing Cryptoassets through the Platform, you agree that you will comply with those requirements. You are not permitted to acquire Cryptoassets or use any of the Services if:
      • you are in, under the control of, or are a national or resident of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, or Syria or any other country subject to United States embargo, UN sanctions, the European Union, or HM Treasury's financial sanctions regimes (each a "Sanctioned Country"), or if you are a person subject to economic sanctions specified as specified on the lists as published from time to time by any relevant authority (including, but not limited to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (part of the UK’s HM Treasury), the U.S. Commerce Department's Denied Persons List, Unverified List, or Entity List, or the EU financial sanctions regime) (a "Sanctioned Person"); or
      • you intend to supply any acquired or stored Cryptoassets or electronic money or our Services to a Sanctioned Country (or a national or resident of a Sanctioned Country) or Sanctioned Person.
    6. In the event that we are required to block Cryptoassets associated with your Uphold Account in accordance with a sanctions programme, we may: (i) suspend your Uphold Account, your use of the Services, your E-Money Account and/or the Platform; (ii) terminate your Uphold Account; (iii) return Cryptoassets to the destination of their origin or to a destination specified by authorities; and/or (iv) require that you withdraw Cryptoassets from your Uphold Account within a certain period of time.
    7. We are not responsible for any losses, whether direct or indirect, that you may incur as a result of our complying with applicable laws and regulations, the guidance or direction of any regulatory authority or government agency, or orders from any regulatory authorities, governmental agencies, law enforcement agencies, or courts of competent jurisdiction.

  16. Platform Availability

    1. Use of the Uphold API and Uphold Connect are subject to additional terms.
    2. Access to the Services and Platform may become degraded or unavailable during times of significant volatility or volume. This could result in limitations on access to your Uphold Account, your E-Money Account, or the Services, including the inability to initiate or complete transactions and may also lead to support response time delays.
    3. We do not guarantee that the Platform or other Services will be available without interruption and we do not guarantee that any order will be executed, accepted, recorded, or remain open or that your Uphold Account will be accessible and our customer support response times may be delayed, including during times of significant volatility or volume, especially for non-trust and safety issues.
    4. Under no circumstances will Uphold be liable for any alleged damages arising from service interruptions, delays in processing transactions, or lack of timely response from customer support.
    5. Although we intend to provide accurate and timely information on the Platform, the Platform and its content may not always be entirely accurate, complete, or current and may also include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. In an effort to continue to provide you with as complete and accurate information as possible, information may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be changed or updated from time to time without notice, including without limitation information regarding our policies, products, and services. Accordingly, you should verify all information before relying on it, and all decisions based on information contained on the Platform are your sole responsibility and we shall have no liability for such decisions.
    6. Links to third-party materials (including without limitation any websites) may be provided as a convenience but are not controlled by us. You acknowledge and agree that we are not responsible for any aspect of the information, content, or services contained in any such third-party materials accessible or linked to from the Platform.

  17. Use of Third Parties

    1. We may, from time-to-time, contract with third parties who may provide services to Uphold, including financial products and other services in connection with the Platform. 
    2. We may partner with other third-party service providers to offer users different funding options and financial instruments (“Third-Party Programmes”). By registering for and/or using any Third-Party Programmes, you expressly agree that you have read, understand, and accept all the applicable terms and conditions that may apply).
    3. To the extent required by applicable law, regulation, or any agreement with such providers, we will provide an update a list of relevant financial service partners through the Platform.
    4. You may decide to link to third-party applications or content others make available through the Platform. As such, you expressly authorise us to work with third-party service providers, including SSO services and providers of financial products and services, to deliver certain Platform functionality including, without limitation, enabling the loading, transfer, conversion, and storage of funds. You should carefully consider both the functionality purportedly offered and the developer offering the functionality before authorising the application. Unless otherwise stated, we have no control over applications and assume no responsibility for developers’ actions.
    5. If you authorise a third-party application to connect to your Uphold Account and take actions on your behalf, you assume all risks associated with those connections and actions and you are ultimately responsible to us for those connections and actions. We require developers to list a support or dispute framework in connection with their application that allows prompt resolution of any issues. If you have a dispute with a developer, you will need to resolve it directly with the developer.
    6. You also agree that you will not hold us responsible for, and will indemnify us against any liability arising out of or related to any act or omission of any third-party using your Log-in Credentials whether a developer or otherwise. You may remove permissions granted to third parties with respect to your Uphold Account at any time through your account settings (authorised applications) page.
    7. A third party not affiliated with us may provide you with access to market data and quotes to be used alongside the Platform. If market data and quotes are provided to you by a third party, your use of the market data and quotes will be governed by the terms and conditions imposed by such third party.
    8. Contracting with other financial service partners or providers may require us to share your personal information in order for them to provide services to Uphold. Please refer to our Privacy & Data Policy for further information regarding such collection, sharing, and use of personal information.

  18. Communicating with You

    1. This Agreement is provided to you and concluded in English. You agree that we will communicate with you in the English language only.
    2. Any translation or summary of the Platform, this Agreement, the Privacy Policy, or the General Terms & Conditions is provided solely as a convenience. You agree that the English version of the Platform, this Agreement, and any other agreements or documentation provided by Uphold will prevail in the event of a conflict between English versions and translated versions of the same documentation.
    3. Please keep a copy of this Agreement for your records. You can view an up-to-date copy of this Agreement at any time on the Platform. You can also ask us at any time for a copy of this Agreement by contacting Support.

      You can contact us through Support here.
    4. If we contact you in relation to this Agreement, your Uphold Account, or our Services, we will use the most recent contact details you have provided to us. You must keep your personal details up to date on your Uphold Account. We will usually contact you via email. For this purpose, you must at all times maintain at least one valid email address in your Uphold Account profile. You are required to check for incoming messages regularly and frequently. Emails may contain links to further information on our Platform. If we send an email to the email address on record for your Uphold Account, you agree and understand that this constitutes written notice (“Written Notice”) from us to you. Where legislation requires us to provide information to you on a durable medium, we will either send you an email (with or without an attachment) or send you a notification pointing you to information on our website in a way that enables you to retain the information in print format or other formats that can be retained by you permanently for future reference. We recommend that you keep copies of all communications we send or make available to you.
    5. Apart from communicating via email, we may contact you via letter or telephone, where appropriate. If you use any mobile services, we may also communicate with you via SMS. By signing up for our Services and accepting this Agreement, by providing a mobile phone number you consent that Uphold may contact you by SMS or text message (including by an automatic telephone dialing system) at the mobile phone number you associate with your Uphold Account and/or E-Money Account for the following (i) initial phone number verification (ii) 70648 2FA via SMS unless you chose an alternative method of 2FA and/or (iii)  account management and transactional notifications and communications only.
    6. Any communication or notice sent by post will be deemed received three days from the date of posting for the United Kingdom post or within five days of posting for an international post. Any communication or notice sent by SMS will be deemed received the same day.
    7. If you use a spam filter that blocks or re-routes emails from senders not listed in your email address book, you may need to add us to your email address book so that you will be able to receive the communications we send to you.

  19. Data Protection

    1. Our Privacy Statement governs the collection and use of information through the Uphold services. The Privacy Policy (together with our Cookie Policy) sets out the basis on which any personal data we collect from you, or that you provide to us, will be processed by us. Please read it carefully to understand our views and practices regarding personal data and how we will treat it.

  20. Liability

    1. We are not liable for any damage or interruptions caused by any computer viruses or other malicious code that may affect your computer or other equipment, or any phishing, spoofing or other attack. We advise the regular use of a reputable and readily available virus screening and prevention software. You should also be aware that SMS and email services are vulnerable to spoofing and phishing attacks and should use care in reviewing messages purporting to originate from us.
    2. We do not exclude or limit in any way our liability to you where it would be unlawful to do so. This includes liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence or the negligence of our employees, agents, or subcontractors or for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.
    3. You agree to indemnify us, our affiliates and service providers, and each of our, or their, respective officers, directors, agents, employees, and representatives, in respect of any costs (including attorneys' fees and any fines, fees or penalties imposed by any regulatory authority) that have been reasonably incurred in connection with any claims, demands or damages arising out of or related to your breach and/or our enforcement of this Agreement (including without limitation your breach of our Prohibited Businesses and Prohibited Use Policy or your violation of any law, rule or regulation, or the rights of any third party.
    4. Where we do not own or control the underlying software protocols that govern the operation of Cryptoassets supported on our Platform, we assume no responsibility for the operation of the underlying protocols and we are not able to guarantee the functionality or security of network operations. You acknowledge and accept the risk that underlying software protocols relating to any Cryptoasset you store in your Uphold Account may change. You acknowledge and accept the risks of operating changes to Cryptoasset protocols and agree that Uphold is not responsible for such operating changes and is not liable for any loss of value you may experience as a result of such changes in operating rules. You acknowledge and accept that Uphold has sole discretion to determine its response to any operating change and that we have no responsibility to assist you with unsupported Cryptoassets or protocols.
    5. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, you hereby agree that Uphold will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, incidental, punitive, or any other damages, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damage or loss, arising or resulting from or in any way relating to your use of the SMS service. Furthermore, Uphold will not be liable for the acts or omissions of third parties, including but not limited to delays in the transmission of messages.
    6. Our total aggregate liability to you for any individual claim or series of connected claims for losses, costs, liabilities, or expenses which you may suffer arising out of, or in connection with, any breach by Uphold of this Agreement shall be limited to a maximum aggregate value of the Cryptoassets on deposit in your Uphold Account at the time of the relevant breach by Uphold.
    7. Where we are considering a specific claim relating to a specific transaction Uphold’s liability to you will be further limited to the purchase/sale amount (as relevant) of the transaction in dispute.
    8. In addition to the liability cap above, in no event shall Uphold, our affiliates or service providers, or any of our or their respective officers, directors, agents, employees or representatives, be liable for any of the following types of loss or damage arising under or in connection with this Agreement or otherwise:
      • any loss of profits or loss of expected revenue or gains, including any loss of anticipated trading profits and/or any actual or hypothetical trading losses, whether direct or indirect, even if we are advised of or knew or should have known of the possibility of the same.

        For example, if you claim that we failed to process a Cryptoasset Transaction properly, your damages are limited to no more than the Supported Cryptoasset at issue in the transaction, and that you may not recover for any "loss" of anticipated trading profits or for any actual trading losses made as a result of the failure to buy or sell the Cryptoasset;

      • any loss of, or damage to, reputation or goodwill; any loss of business or opportunity, customers or contracts; any loss or waste of overheads, management or other staff time; or any other loss of revenue or actual or anticipated savings, whether direct or indirect, even if we are advised of or knew or should have known of the possibility of the same; any loss of use of hardware, software or data and/or any corruption of data; including but not limited to any losses or damages arising out of or relating to any inaccuracy, defect or omission of digital currency price data; any error or delay in the transmission of such data; and/or any interruption in any such data; and
      • any loss or damage whatsoever which does not arise directly as a result of our breach of this Agreement (whether or not you are able to prove such loss or damage).
    9. We are not liable for any breach of the Agreement, including delays, failure in performance, or interruption of service, where they arise directly or indirectly from abnormal and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which would have been unavoidable despite all effects to the contrary, nor are we liable where the breach is due to the application of mandatory legal rules.

  21. No warranties

    1. Our Services and the Platform are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis, with no further promises made by us around availability of the services. Specifically, to the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, we do not give any implied warranties of title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and/or non-infringement. We do not make any promises that access to the Platform, any of the Services, or any of the materials contained therein, will be continuous, uninterrupted, timely, or error-free.
    2. We make no representations about the accuracy, order, timeliness, or completeness of historical Cryptoasset price data available on the Platform.
    3. Any materials, information, view, opinion, projection, or estimate presented via the Platform is made available by Uphold for informational purposes only and is subject to change without notice.
    4. You must make your own assessment of the relevance, timeliness, accuracy, adequacy, commercial value, completeness, and reliability of the materials, information, view opinion, projection, or estimate provided on the Platform.
    5. Accordingly, no warranty whatsoever is given by Uphold and no liability whatsoever is accepted by Uphold for any loss arising whether directly or indirectly as a result of you acting on any materials, information, view, opinion, projection, or estimate provided in or made available through the Platform and/or the Platform.
    6. The Services and Platform are not intended to provide specific investment, tax, or legal advice or to make any recommendations about the suitability of any investments or products for any particular investor. You should seek your own independent financial, legal, regulatory, tax, or other advice before making an investment in the investments or products. In the event that you choose not to seek advice from a relevant adviser, you should consider whether the investment or product is suitable for you.
    7. To the extent research materials or similar information are available through the Platform, you understand and agree that these materials are intended solely for informational or educational purposes and do not constitute a recommendation or solicitation to enter into any transactions or to engage in any investment strategy.
    8. We will make reasonable efforts to ensure that Cryptoasset Transactions, requests for debits and credits involving your Uphold Account, bank accounts, debit cards are processed in a timely manner but Uphold makes no representations or warranties regarding the amount of time needed to complete processing which is dependent upon many factors outside of our control. We will make reasonable efforts to ensure that requests for electronic debits and credits involving bank accounts and cheque issuances are processed in a timely manner, but we make no representations or warranties regarding the amount of time needed to complete processing which is dependent upon many factors outside of our control.
    9. Except for the express statements set forth in this Agreement, you hereby acknowledge and agree that you have not relied upon any other statement or understanding, whether written or oral, with respect to your use and access of the services and Platform.

  22. Complaints

    1. If you would like to lodge a complaint, please contact Support here.
    2. Our Cryptoasset activities do not fall within the scope of the Financial Ombudsman Services (“FOS”) or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (“FSCS”). As such, you will have no recourse to the FOS and/or FSCS in the event of a complaint against Uphold that relates to Cryptoasset activities.
    3. If you are a consumer resident in the UK, you can seek further information and advice by visiting the Citizens Advice website www.adviceguide.org.uk or call 03454 04 05 06.

  23. Taxes

    1. It is your sole responsibility to determine whether, and to what extent, any taxes apply to any transactions you conduct through the services, and to withhold, collect, report and remit the correct amount of tax to the appropriate tax authorities.
    2. We do not provide tax advice and you agree that you will determine any tax implications associated with your use of, and any transactions you may make using the Platform. You should consult an accountant, lawyer, or tax authorities in your jurisdiction to determine any tax consequences.
    3. Your transaction history is available through your Uphold Account.

  24. Termination & Suspension

    1. In the event that you want to stop using Uphold’s services, you can cancel your Uphold Account. To cancel, please contact our customer support team here. We will decide, at our sole discretion, whether to cancel or suspend any pending Cryptoasset Transactions. You are not permitted to cancel your Uphold Account in an effort to avoid paying fees due to us or if your activity is under investigation.
    2. You agree and understand that Uphold has the right to at any time:
      • (i) immediately suspend your Uphold Account and all accounts beneficially owned by you;
      • (ii) immediately suspend your E-Money Account (if applicable);
      • (iii) freeze the Cryptoassets and funds in such accounts;
      • (iv) de-activate or cancel your Uphold Account and/or E-Money Account; and/or
      • (v) suspend your access to Uphold’s services and/or the Platform,

        until a determination has been made, if we suspect, in our sole discretion that you and/or such accounts are in violation of:

      • (a) any provision of this Agreement;
      • (b) any applicable laws or regulations; 
      • (c) Uphold’s Prohibited Businesses and Prohibited Use Policy; or 
      • (d) Uphold’s anti-money laundering policies and procedures.
    3. You further agree and understand that we have the right to immediately (i) suspend your account and any related account, (ii) freeze/lock the funds and assets in all such accounts, and (iii) suspend your access to the Platform and Uphold’s Services until a determination has been made, if:
      • We are required to do so by a regulatory authority, court order, or binding order of a government authority;
      • The Uphold Account is, or is related to any account that is, subject to any pending litigation, investigation, or governmental proceeding;
      • We believe someone is attempting to gain unauthorised access to the Uphold Account;
      • We believe there is unusual activity in the Uphold Account; or
      • We believe you are using Uphold, your login credentials, or other account information in an unauthorised or inappropriate manner.
    4. If your account has been suspended, you will be notified when accessing the Platform. We may, in our sole discretion, give Written Notice that your Uphold Account has been suspended and may, in our sole discretion, disclose the reasons for suspension, if permitted to do so by law.

  25. Unclaimed Cryptoassets

    1. If your Uphold Account holds a balance at the time of its closure, or if your Uphold Account remains closed or dormant with a balance for a long enough period of time, we will ask you to withdraw your Cryptoassets within a reasonable period of time.
    2. During this period your Uphold Account will be accessible for the purpose of withdrawing the remaining balance only. After the expiry of this period, you will not be able to access your Uphold Account but you may withdraw any remaining Cryptoassets by contacting Support  here and requesting that the Cryptoassets be sent to you in a manner that is reasonably acceptable for us. 
    3. If you want to access your transaction history after the closure of your Uphold Account, you will need to contact Support here and request the information. 
    4. You may withdraw your Cryptoassets and access your transaction history for a period of six years from the date of closure of your Uphold Account, but we suggest that you withdraw your remaining Cryptoassets as soon as possible. We may refuse a withdrawal request if it is made more than six (6) years after the date of termination of this Agreement, and any Cryptoassets held by us after this time shall cease to be held by us for you and shall instead become our Cryptoassets. 
    5. We reserve the right to carry out any necessary money laundering, terrorism financing, fraud or other illegal activity checks before authorising any withdrawal of your Cryptoassets, including in relation to returning any Cryptoassets to you after you have closed your Uphold Account.

  26. Other Matters

    1. This Agreement (including documents incorporated by reference herein) comprise the entire understanding and agreement between you and Uphold as to the subject matter hereof, and it supersedes any and all prior discussions, agreements, and understandings of any kind (including without limitation any prior versions of this Agreement), and every nature between and among you and Uphold.
    2. Our failure to insist upon your strict compliance with any term or provision of this Agreement shall not be construed as a waiver for you to not comply with such term or provision.
    3. We may amend this Agreement, any agreement incorporated by reference, or our fees at any time by posting the amended version on the Platform, emailing it to you, or communicating it to you through the Platform. Each amended version will be effective as of the time it is posted, and your continued use of Uphold’s services after the posting of an amended version constitutes your acceptance of the amended version.
    4. This Agreement is between you and us. No other person shall have any rights to enforce any of its term.
    5. This Agreement is personal to you and you cannot transfer or assign your rights, licenses, interests and/or obligations to anyone else. We may transfer or assign our rights licenses, interests and / or our obligations at any time, including as part of a merger, acquisition, or other corporate reorganisation involving Uphold, provided that this transfer or assignment does not materially impact the quality of the services you receive. Subject to the foregoing, this Agreement will bind and inure to the benefit of the parties, their successors, and permitted assigns. You reserve the right to terminate the agreement with immediate effect in the event we transfer and/or assign the Agreement.
    6. In the event that Uphold is acquired by or merged with a third-party entity, we reserve the right, in any of these circumstances, to transfer or assign the information we have collected from you and our relationship with you (including this Agreement) as part of such merger, acquisition, sale, or other change of control.
    7. All provisions of this Agreement that by their nature extend beyond the expiration or termination of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the sections relating to suspension or termination, disputes with Uphold, your liability, the indemnity, and general provisions will continue to be binding and operate after the termination or expiration of this Agreement.
    8. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable under any applicable law, this will not affect the validity of any other provision. If any provision is found unenforceable, the unenforceable provision will be severed, and the remaining provisions will be enforced.If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable under any applicable law, this will not affect the validity of any other provision. If any provision is found unenforceable, the unenforceable provision will be severed, and the remaining provisions will be enforced.
    9. You consent and submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales in connection with any dispute or controversy arising under or related to this Agreement or the services of Uphold.
    10. The laws of England and Wales, subject to any local mandatory law, or rights available to consumers, shall govern this Agreement and the relationship between us.
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Uphold Europe Limited, Reg No. 09281410, Registered Office: Eastcastle House, 27/28 Eastcastle Street, London, United Kingdom, W1W 8DH

Uphold (FRN: 938277) is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for AML purposes and complies with the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer for Funds (Information on the Payer).

Uphold is also an EMD agent (FRN: 938277) of Optimus Cards UK Limited (FRN: 902034) which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to issue e-money pursuant to the Electronic Money Regulations 2011.

Cryptoasset services offered by Uphold Europe Limited are unregulated and not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme as well as the FCA’s consumer protection regulations. Cryptoassets are very high risk and speculative. You should be aware and prepared to potentially lose some or all of your money. You should carefully consider whether trading or holding cryptoassets is suitable for you in light of your financial circumstances. Gains may be subject to Capital Gains Tax and there may be extra charges when paying via credit card from your provider. Geographic restrictions may apply.

Fiat money payments and balances (fiat is another name for traditional currencies, such as GBP, USD and EUR) constitute regulated e-money and payment services. In providing fiat balances, you are being issued with e-money by Optimus and Uphold is acting as its agent. See specific e-money terms. E-money is not a deposit or investment account which means that your e-money will not be protected by the FSCS. Your funds will be held in a designated safeguarding account with a regulated financial institution. E-money will not earn any interest.

Uphold is certified for SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, and PCI DSS, ensuring rigorous control over our information security management systems, data handling, and payment processing practices. Furthermore, we comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and the UK Data Protection Act, underscoring our dedication to protecting the personal data and privacy rights of our global customers.

© 2025 Uphold Europe Limited. All rights reserved.