Lightyear Launches Crypto in the EU: 12 Coins, One Transparent Fee, and a Few Honest Limitations

Note: Lightyear crypto is currently not available in the UK or Hungary.

Lightyear has just added crypto to its EU app. Starting 14 May 2026, EU investors can buy and sell 12 curated cryptocurrencies inside the same account they already use for stocks, ETFs and Vaults which invest in money market funds, with one flat fee and no spread markup.

Overall, this is a great direction for the platform. The Lightyear app is one of the cleaner investing experiences in the EU, and folding crypto into the same portfolio view alongside stocks and ETFs is genuinely useful for investors who want one home for their wealth.

That said, we want to be straight with you. This is a brand new product, and there are real limitations worth knowing about before you decide whether it fits your setup. Here is what is live, how the fees actually work, what is missing, and what to weigh up.

What Lightyear Crypto actually is

Twelve cryptocurrencies, all among the most-traded coins worldwide. Inside the app they show up as 24 line items because every coin is listed twice, once for the EUR pair and once for the USD pair. The launch list is Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Cardano, Chainlink, XRP, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Uniswap, Sui, Bittensor and Hyperliquid.

Orders are routed via Kraken, which Lightyear describes as a reputable global exchange with deep liquidity, and Lightyear charges a single 0.45% fee per order on top. There is no spread markup. The market price you see at execution is the price you pay.

For context on Lightyear's wider product, our full Lightyear review covers fees, account types, the Stocks and Shares ISA, Vaults and the multi-currency account.

The 12 coins at launch

The launch list leans heavily on the large, long-established coins, with a small allocation to newer tokens such as SUI, TAO and HYPE. Lightyear's framing is explicit: the line-up is built for long-term allocation, not for trading the long tail of the market. If you want exotic altcoins, this is not the product for you.

All 12 coins are available in both EUR and USD pairs, which matters for European investors who want to avoid an FX leg on every trade.

How a trade actually works

The flow is the same as buying a stock on Lightyear. You pick a coin, choose the order type, and confirm the order in EUR or USD. The position then shows up inside the same portfolio view as the rest of your holdings, not in a separate "crypto corner" tab.

Three order types are available:

• Market Order to buy at the best available price.
• Limit Order to set a target price and have the trade execute automatically if the market reaches it.
• Repeat Order to automate a recurring buy on a schedule of your choosing.

For investors who already use Plans, crypto can also be added as part of an automated, recurring contribution alongside ETFs and stocks. This is one of the strongest things going for the product. Setting up an easy repeat order so you can dollar-cost average into your favourite crypto over time is exactly how most long-term investors should be approaching this asset class, and Lightyear makes it feel as routine as setting up a standing order into a savings vault.

The fee, in plain numbers

Lightyear charges 0.45% per order. That is the only fee on a crypto trade with Lightyear. No subscription, no spread markup, no separate platform fee. Orders are routed via Kraken to 20-plus liquidity providers, with the goal of tighter execution in volatile markets.

What we appreciate most about Lightyear's pricing here is the transparency. A flat 0.45% on the order, no spread markup, full disclosure on the confirmation screen before you commit. That is rarer than it sounds. Many crypto-included brokers and exchanges in the EU advertise a lower-looking headline commission but then bundle a spread markup on top, which is invisible at the point of trade and quietly inflates the total cost. Lightyear does not do this.

The execution venue matters too. Kraken has a long-standing reputation for tight pricing and deep liquidity, particularly on the Euro side. Combined with the no-markup model, the all-in cost of a Lightyear crypto trade is competitive against exchanges that look cheaper on a headline-fee basis but quietly recoup the difference in the spread.

So while 0.45% is not the lowest commission you can find on the spot crypto market in the EU, the real all-in cost when you account for spreads puts Lightyear in a genuinely competitive spot. For most long-term investors dollar-cost averaging into a handful of major coins, this is a reasonable place to do it.

What you don't get (and why it matters)

This is the section we want to be honest about, because it is the part most launch articles skip.

You cannot withdraw or send your crypto to an external wallet. Lightyear runs crypto on the same custodial model as the rest of its product. There is no on-chain transfer out, no integration with self-custody wallets, no way to move your Bitcoin to a hardware wallet or to send Ethereum to another address. Buy on Lightyear, sell on Lightyear, that is the flow. For most long-term investors who are not planning to use their crypto for anything other than holding, this may not matter. For anyone who values self-custody as a principle, or who wants to interact with DeFi, or who wants the option of moving assets between platforms in future, this is a meaningful limitation. Worth noting: Lightyear does support portfolio transfer-out on stocks and ETFs (minimum 1,000 EUR/GBP/USD per position, or combined across positions), but crypto specifically cannot be moved off platform.

No staking, no yield products, no leverage. Lightyear has launched a buy-and-hold spot crypto product. There is no staking on ETH, SOL or any of the other proof-of-stake coins on the list. No interest on idle crypto balances. No leveraged tokens. No perpetuals. No options. If you came for any of that, this is not the platform.

Limited to 12 coins. The curated list covers the obvious large-cap names, but if you want broader exposure to the altcoin market (memecoins, Layer-2 tokens, RWA tokens, smaller DeFi projects, mid-cap names outside the launch list), Lightyear simply does not offer them. The 12-coin selection is deliberate, and we suspect it will expand over time, but right now it is narrow.

We expect some of these to evolve in future updates as the product matures. But these are the realities at launch.

Regulation and protection: read this carefully

Crypto services are provided by Lightyear Europe AS under the EU's MiCA regulation. Lightyear is authorised and regulated as an investment firm by the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority (Finantsinspektsioon) and passported across the EU. From 1 July 2026, EU crypto providers without a MiCA licence will have to cease operations, so MiCA authorisation is becoming the baseline standard for the EU crypto market rather than a differentiator.

The point worth pausing on: crypto assets do not fall under the EU €20,000 investor protection scheme that covers stocks, ETFs and cash on the Lightyear platform. The asset segregation rules and Lightyear's own custody practices still apply, but the €20,000 backstop does not. This is the same treatment crypto gets across every other MiCA-regulated EU broker, and it is the right thing to know before sizing a position. Lightyear's own order confirmation screen warns about this explicitly.

Who this is and is not for

Lightyear Crypto is a fit for investors who want one place for their stocks, funds, Vaults which invest in money market funds, and a measured crypto allocation, without juggling a separate app. It is especially useful for anyone who wants to dollar-cost average into the major coins over time, because the Plans and Repeat Order setup is genuinely good.

It is also a useful option for Estonian investors who want to hold crypto inside the Investeerimiskonto (Estonian Investment Account). Lightyear does not provide tax advice and tax treatment depends on individual circumstances.

It is not a fit if you want self-custody, if you want to use your crypto for anything other than holding inside the app, if you trade actively, or if you want access to anything outside the curated 12-coin list. There is no leverage, no margin, no staking, no on-chain wallet, no DeFi, and no transfer-out at launch.

Who can use it

Lightyear Crypto is available to EU residents who already qualify for a Lightyear personal or business account. The product is launched in the EU only, excluding Hungary. It is not available in the UK.

If you are reading this from the UK, the rest of the Lightyear product is still available through Lightyear U.K. Ltd, including the Stocks and Shares ISA, Cash ISA, General Investment Account and Plans, but the crypto product is not part of that offering.

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Bottom line

Overall, this is a strong addition to the Lightyear product and a great direction for the platform. The transparent 0.45% flat fee with no spread markup is exactly the kind of pricing we appreciate from a broker that knows its audience, the Repeat Order setup makes DCA effortless, and folding crypto into the same portfolio view as stocks and ETFs is the integrated experience long-term investors actually want.

That said, it is genuinely limited at launch. No external wallet, no staking, no yield, no leverage, no transfer-out on crypto. If those constraints fit how you want to use crypto (as a long-term allocation alongside the rest of your portfolio), Lightyear is one of the cleanest ways to do it in the EU. If they don't, a dedicated crypto exchange will give you more flexibility, even if you pay the price of running a second app and a second compliance footprint.

We expect Lightyear's crypto product to expand over the coming year. For now, it is a good place to start, with eyes open about what is and is not included.

Crypto-assets are highly volatile and carry significant risks. Capital at risk, terms apply. Seek guidance if necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lightyear Crypto available in the UK?

No. Lightyear Crypto is available in the EU only, excluding Hungary. It is not available in the UK. UK investors continue to access stocks, ETFs, Stocks and Shares ISA, Cash ISA and Plans through Lightyear U.K. Ltd.

What is the fee for buying crypto on Lightyear?

0.45% per order, with no spread markup. That is the only fee Lightyear charges on a crypto trade. On very small orders (under €10), rounding to whole cents can push the effective rate up slightly.

Which cryptocurrencies are available?

Twelve coins at launch: BTC, ETH, SOL, ADA, LINK, XRP, LTC, DOGE, UNI, SUI, TAO and HYPE. Each is available in EUR and USD pairs.

Can I withdraw my crypto to an external wallet?

No. Lightyear does not currently support transferring crypto to or from external wallets. The product is buy-and-sell on platform only. Lightyear does support portfolio transfer-out on stocks and ETFs (minimum 1,000 EUR/GBP/USD per position, or combined), but crypto specifically cannot be moved off platform.

Can I set up a recurring buy?

Yes. Lightyear supports Repeat Orders on crypto, and crypto can be added to a Plan as part of an automated, recurring contribution alongside ETFs and stocks. This is one of the strongest features of the product.

Can I stake my crypto on Lightyear?

No. Lightyear does not currently offer staking, yield products, or any way to earn additional return on idle crypto balances.

Is my crypto covered by an investor protection scheme?

No. Crypto assets do not fall under the EU €20,000 investor protection scheme. The stocks, ETFs and cash side of the Lightyear account remain covered up to €20,000 by the Estonian Investor Protection Sectoral Fund.

Is Lightyear regulated for crypto?

Yes. Lightyear Europe AS is authorised under the EU MiCA framework and regulated by the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority (Finantsinspektsioon).

Can I hold crypto inside the Estonian Investeerimiskonto?

Yes. Lightyear is one of the few Estonian providers with a MiCA licence that can offer direct crypto inside the Investeerimiskonto, as of 22 May 2026. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances. Lightyear does not provide tax advice.

Disclaimer: Capital at risk. Provider of the investment services is Lightyear Europe AS for the EU and Lightyear UK Ltd. for the UK. Terms apply: lightyear.com/terms. Seek qualified advice if necessary. This is not investment advice. Crypto-assets are highly volatile and carry significant risks, Investor Protection Schemes do not apply. ISA rules apply.

Trading involves significant risk and may not be suitable for all investors. The value of investments can go down as well as up, and you may lose some or all of your initial investment.