- easyGroup launches easyBitcoin app powered by Uphold exchange targeting retail investors.
- Platform offers three reward systems including 1% welcome bonus and 4.5% APY on USD holdings.
- Launch coincides with Bitcoin trading near $111,000 following Trump administration policies.
- Research shows 88% of consumers trust Bitcoin to grow their money over next decade.
- UK version planned for later 2025 as competition intensifies in crypto space.
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, founder of easyGroup, has entered the cryptocurrency market with the launch of easyBitcoin, a mobile trading platform designed to simplify Bitcoin investment for retail users. The app, developed in partnership with regulated crypto exchange Uphold, launches as Bitcoin trades near record highs of $111,000 following the Trump administration’s pro-crypto policies, according to Bloomberg.
Addressing Market Barriers
The easyBitcoin platform targets common barriers that prevent mainstream Bitcoin adoption. Recent research by Opinion Matters surveyed 1,001 US consumers and found that 49% consider it difficult to buy, sell, or hold Bitcoin due to complex existing platforms designed for sophisticated traders, according to CBS42.
“For too long, investing in Bitcoin has felt like an exclusive club, out of reach for the general public with very high transaction costs,” Haji-Ioannou stated in company materials. “With the easyBitcoin app, we’re aiming to change that and provide simple access via your mobile phone, great value and a focus on earning Bitcoin rewards.”
Three-Tier Rewards System
The easyBitcoin app implements a comprehensive rewards structure designed to attract new users and encourage long-term holding. The platform offers three earning mechanisms:
- 1% welcome bonus on the first $5,000 of recurring purchases each month
- 2% annual rewards on all Bitcoin holdings after maintaining recurring purchases for three months
- 4.5% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on USD balances with interest paid in Bitcoin
Simon McLoughlin, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Uphold, explained the strategic approach: “Multiple ways to earn sets a new standard in crypto. Beyond appealing to the converted, receiving rewards in Bitcoin on USD balances is the perfect draw for that huge segment of the population that has become aware of Bitcoin, but has yet to take the plunge.”
Market Timing and Competition
The platform enters an increasingly competitive cryptocurrency trading space. Established players including Coinbase and Kraken face new competition from traditional financial institutions and fintech companies like Robinhood, Revolut, and PayPal following the Trump administration’s cryptocurrency-friendly policies, Yahoo Finance reported.
Haji-Ioannou acknowledged the timing significance: “I’m only doing it because the Trump second election has made it completely mainstream,” he told Bloomberg.
Consumer Confidence Data
The Opinion Matters research supporting the launch revealed significant consumer confidence in Bitcoin as an investment vehicle:
- 88% of respondents trust Bitcoin to grow their money over the next decade
- 39% named Bitcoin a top three investment choice, exceeding gold at 29%
- 57% prefer Bitcoin over traditional savings accounts
- 61% would invest a $10,000 windfall in Bitcoin
Technical Infrastructure and Security
The easyBitcoin platform operates through Uphold’s regulated infrastructure, which maintains Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) registration in the United States and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) registration in the United Kingdom. USD balances receive Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) protection up to $2.5 million.
Uphold’s platform connects to over 30 trading venues and maintains 100% reserves without lending customer assets. The company publishes asset and liability data every 30 seconds on a public transparency website.
Market Context and Performance
Bitcoin’s recent performance supports the platform’s value proposition. A $1,000 investment in Bitcoin from July 2015 would equal approximately $400,000 today, making it the decade’s best-performing asset ahead of equities, commodities, and real estate, according to Bitcoin Magazine.
Corporate Bitcoin adoption has reached significant levels, with public companies holding over 1 million BTC, representing approximately 5% of Bitcoin’s circulating supply. Companies like MicroStrategy and Metaplanet have established substantial Bitcoin treasury positions.
Expansion Plans
easyGroup plans to launch a UK version of the easyBitcoin app later in 2025. The company operates over 350 brands across multiple industries including airlines, hotels, gyms, and waste disposal services.
The easyBitcoin launch reflects the easyGroup’s core values of simplicity, innovation, and accessibility. Uphold provides the technical infrastructure with ten years of experience serving millions of retail cryptocurrency users worldwide.
McLoughlin emphasized the partnership’s potential impact: “We believe that the combination of $2.5M of FDIC insurance on USD balances plus 4.5% interest, convertible instantly into Bitcoin, is likely the most attractive, compelling and useful consumer product yet to emerge from crypto.”
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