Google bans bitcoin adverts in cryptocurrency crackdown

Ads for cryptocurrencies, ICOs, wallets and exchanges will be blocked from June to prevent scams, following Facebook's move in January

Google will ban all adverts for cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin and initial coin offerings (ICOs), as it seeks to "tackle emerging threats".

The ad ban will come into force from June as part of a clampdown on unregulated financial products. Google's director of sustainable ads, Scott Spencer, said in a blogpost: "We updated several policies to address ads in unregulated or speculative financial products like binary options, cryptocurrency, foreign exchange markets and contracts for difference (or CFDs)."