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Hargreaves customers can hold the bitcoin investment in their self-invested personal pension(Sipp) or a normal broking account.

Mr Cox added that Hargreaves already allowed investors to access the Bitcoin Investment Trust. The$389m fund isrun by Grayscale Investments, which specialises in "crypto-currencies".

"By adding self-service, online dealing, the team at Hargreaves Lansdown is providing UK investors with professional and quick access to bitcoin in the UK and greater Europe," saidRyan Radloff, XBT's head of investor relations.

Crypto-currencies came to noticefollowing the launch of bitcoinby a developer under the pseudonym ofSatoshi Nakamotoin 2009. Online currencies are beyond the control of the worlds central banks and allow anonymous transactions. They operate using a digital ledger of transactions known as a blockchain.

The price of bitcoin has surged since the start of the year.Its price indollar terms has more than doubledfrom less than $900 to more than $2,400 today. Currently one bitcoin equals 1,902, 2,145or $2,422, according to CryptoCompare.com.

The currency also hit the headlines last monthwhen the hackers behind the WannaCry cyber attack that took down parts of theNHS IT system demanded ransom payments in bitcoin. The currency has long been linked to the online underworld.

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Britain's largest broker offers bitcoin investment - Telegraph.co.uk