Privacy & Cookie Policy

1. Who We Are

UKCryptoGuide ("we", "us", "our") is an independent, informational website providing guidance on buying cryptocurrency in the United Kingdom. This website is not a financial service, exchange, or broker.

For the purposes of UK data protection law — specifically the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 — we are the data controller for any personal data collected through this website.

2. Data We Collect

UKCryptoGuide collects a small amount of data to operate the site, serve advertising, and publish community exchange reviews. We do not require you to create an account to use the site.

Data collected automatically

When you visit this website, our hosting provider may automatically log basic technical information including:

• Your IP address (anonymised where possible)
• Browser type and version
• The pages you visit and time spent on them
• The website or search engine that referred you here
• Device type (desktop, mobile, tablet)

This data is used solely to understand how the site is being used and to ensure it functions correctly. It is not linked to any personally identifiable information.

Data you provide voluntarily — exchange reviews

Our exchange review pages allow you to submit a community review. When you do, we collect:

• A name or nickname of your choice — we strongly advise you do not use your real name
• A star rating, duration of use, platform used, and whether you would recommend the exchange
• An optional written review (max 1,000 characters)

Reviews are stored in our database and held in a moderation queue before being published. We do not collect your email address, IP address, or any other identifying information when you submit a review. Published reviews display only the nickname you provided.

Data you provide voluntarily — email contact

If you contact us by email, we will collect your name and email address in order to respond to your query. We do not subscribe you to any mailing list without your explicit consent.

3. Cookie Policy

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help websites remember your preferences and understand how visitors use the site.

Under the UK's Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR), we are required to obtain your consent before storing non-essential cookies on your device.

Cookies we use

Cookies we do NOT use

• Social media cookies — we do not embed social media buttons that set third-party cookies
• Profiling cookies — we do not build detailed personal profiles about individual visitors

Advertising on this site

UKCryptoGuide displays advertisements served by Google AdSense. Google may use cookies to show you ads based on your previous visits to this and other websites. You can opt out of personalised advertising by visiting Google's Ads Settings or by visiting aboutads.info.

Advertisements on this site are clearly distinguishable from editorial content. UKCryptoGuide does not allow advertisers to influence our editorial coverage or reviews.

How to control cookies in your browser

You can also control or delete cookies directly through your browser settings. Here are links to guidance for major browsers:

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Apple Safari
• Microsoft Edge

Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of some websites you visit.

4. Manage Your Cookie Preferences

You can update your cookie preferences at any time using the panel below. Essential cookies cannot be disabled as they are required for the website to function correctly.

5. How We Use Your Data

We use the limited data we collect for the following purposes, each of which has a lawful basis under UK GDPR:

We do not use your data for automated decision-making or profiling, and we do not use it for direct marketing.

6. Sharing Your Data

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to any third parties.

We may share limited data with trusted third parties only in the following circumstances:

• Hosting providers: Our website host may process server logs as part of providing their service. They are bound by strict data processing agreements.
• Analytics providers: If you consent to analytics cookies, anonymised usage data may be processed by an analytics service. No personally identifiable information is shared.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required to do so by law or in response to a valid legal request from a public authority.

Any third parties we work with are required to handle your data in compliance with UK GDPR and are not permitted to use it for their own purposes.

7. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of access — You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to rectification — You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to erasure — You can ask us to delete your personal data ("the right to be forgotten") in certain circumstances.
• Right to restrict processing — You can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
• Right to data portability — You can request your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Right to object — You can object to processing based on legitimate interests.
• Rights related to automated decision-making — We do not carry out automated decision-making or profiling.

Right to complain

If you believe we have not handled your data correctly, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK's data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

• Website: ico.org.uk
• Helpline: 0303 123 1113

8. Data Retention

We only retain personal data for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected:

• Server logs — retained for up to 90 days for security and diagnostic purposes, then deleted.
• Email correspondence — retained for up to 2 years, then deleted unless there is an ongoing reason to keep it.
• Cookie consent records — stored on your device for 12 months, then expired automatically.

9. Third-Party Links

This website contains links to third-party websites, including cryptocurrency exchanges, HMRC, and the FCA. These links are provided for your convenience and information only.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy & Cookie Policy, wish to exercise your data rights, or have a concern about how we handle your information, please get in touch: