ReferenceGoogle Ads disapproval
Cryptocurrencies and related products
Crypto exchanges, software wallets and coin trusts need Google certification and a local license before their ads serve. Businesses that only accept crypto as payment, sell mining hardware, or offer tax, legal or security services need no approval. Buying, selling or trading crypto is prohibited everywhere. Apply through Admin, then Policy, then Account, then Apply for certification in Google Ads.
At a glance
- Where it shows
- The Status column on the Ads & assets page, as Disapproved under this policy.
- What stops
- The flagged ad or asset stops serving.
- How serious
- Warning first. Google says it issues a warning at least 7 days before any account suspension.
- How long
- Google says re-review typically takes 24 to 48 hours after an edit.
What it means
The policy sorts businesses into three groups. Some are allowed without approval: businesses that accept crypto as payment, sell mining hardware, or offer tax, legal or security services, and educational material that gives no investment advice. Some are restricted and need certification: hardware wallets, cryptocurrency exchanges, software wallets and coin trusts. Some are prohibited everywhere.
Certification is also per location. Each country sets its own license rule. The page gives examples: the United Kingdom requires FCA registration, the United States requires FinCEN money services business registration plus state money transmitter status or a bank charter, and EU countries require authorization under MiCA for exchanges and software wallets.
What actually triggers it
Buying, selling or trading crypto in the ad
Crypto buying, selling or trading, DeFi trading protocols, crypto loans, token liquidity pools and ICOs are prohibited everywhere.
A comparison or signals site
Destinations that aggregate or compare crypto issuers are prohibited, including trading signals, investment advice and broker reviews.
An exchange or software wallet without a license
Exchanges and software wallets need Google certification, and a local license or registration in each location where the ads run.
Crypto games that stake value
Games where players wager or stake NFTs for real-world value are prohibited, and so are social casinos that reward NFTs.
Fix it in this order
- Work out which group the business falls in: allowed without approval, restricted and needing certification, or prohibited, using the groups on this page.
- If the business is allowed without approval, check the ad for buying, selling or trading wording, then keep the ad if none is there.
- If the business is restricted, apply for certification for each location: Admin, then Policy, then Account, then Apply for certification. Google says applications move into the account from June 2026 and the Help Center form stops taking them. Submit a separate application for each location or group of locations.
- Hover over the ad or asset, select Edit, remove the prohibited activity or comparison, and select Save. Remove the ad if the business is prohibited under the policy.
Each save goes back for review, which typically takes 24 to 48 hours. The result shows in the Status column.
When to appeal
Appeal when the business is in the allowed group and the ad does not buy, sell or trade crypto. Google says to appeal from the account if you believe there was an error.
An appeal cannot stand in for the local license. The page requires both the Google certificate and the local license or registration.
Often confused with
Online gambling and casino-style games are a separate policy. A crypto game that stakes NFTs for real-world value is on this page, and a casino is on the gambling page.
Prediction markets have their own rules: US only, for licensed providers, in listed locations, with a separate application for each location.