You probably remember the time when running a crypto ad on Google was like trying to smuggle fireworks onto a commercial flight. No matter how legitimate your product was, no matter how carefully crafted your message, the answer was a hard no.
Back in 2018, Google shut the door on cryptocurrency advertising. The search giant wasn’t alone. Facebook, Twitter, and others followed suit in a coordinated crackdown on an industry already notorious for pump-and-dump, sketchy ICOs, and fly-by-night exchanges. This was a major roadblock for crypto businesses trying to build trust and visibility.
But the tide has turned. Quietly, cautiously, Google has been rolling back those restrictions. Starting with a few exceptions in 2021 and accelerating through 2024, the company has opened the gates (at least halfway) to crypto ads on Google.
What does this mean for advertisers? What’s allowed now, and what still isn’t? Is this the long-awaited green light for Web3 marketers, or just another maze of red tape? Let’s unpack.
Why Crypto Ads Were Banned
At first glance, it might seem like Google’s 2018 ban was an overreaction. But context matters. That year, the crypto market was deeply chaotic. The ICO craze had peaked, and for every promising project raising funds, there were ten more peddling vaporware.
Consumers were getting burned. Regulators were scrambling. The phrase “cryptocurrency advertising” became synonymous with scams and rug pulls. From Google’s perspective, the risk wasn’t worth the revenue. Trust in their ad ecosystem was on the line.
According to a research paper from MDPI, all ICOs launched between August 2014 and December 2019 were examined for fraud allegations to estimate the true costs associated with scams. The results show that 56.80% of ICOs were subject to fraud, which corresponds to 65.80% of the market capitalization, estimated at $15.38 billion.
Behind the scenes, there was also a more subtle issue: enforcement. Even with cryptocurrency advertising regulations tightening globally, most platforms simply didn’t have the resources or technical understanding to separate good actors from bad. A blanket ban was easier, safer, and better for PR.
So in March 2018, Google updated its Google Ad policy to prohibit ads for “cryptocurrencies and related content,” including ICOs, wallets, and trading advice. Overnight disappearance of crypto Google Ads pushing marketers toward smaller, niche platforms or underground tactics.
New Crypto Ad Rules
Fast-forward to today, in several policy updates, most recently refined in late 2024, Google began allowing ads for certain cryptocurrency products under strict conditions.
These updates were driven partly by growing regulatory clarity in countries like the U.S., U.K., and Japan, as well as increased demand from institutional players who didn’t want to be lumped in with the scam stuff. Now, you can run ads for crypto, but only if you meet specific requirements.
Under the new Google Ads cryptocurrency advertising policy, advertisers must:
- Be certified by Google (more on that below).
- Operate in approved jurisdictions.
- Avoid promoting products like initial coin offerings or DeFi protocols (which are still mostly banned).
- Comply with local cryptocurrency advertising regulations.
Google continues to evaluate every category within crypto with a microscope. But for centralized exchanges, custodial wallets, and certain blockchain-based financial products, there’s finally a path forward.
Certification Requirements for Advertisers
Getting approved to run Google crypto ads starts with obtaining a Google Ads certification for cryptocurrency-related advertising. It’s not automatic, and it’s not something you can fudge.
To apply, you’ll need to:
- Prove that your company is registered with a relevant financial authority (like FinCEN in the U.S. or the FCA in the U.K.).
- Show documentation that your product complies with local financial regulations.
- Provide operational transparency as ownership structure, user protections, legal disclaimers, etc.
The process isn’t fast. Review times can stretch into weeks, especially if your jurisdiction has complex or evolving crypto laws. Google Ads certification is free, but it’s also highly selective.
If you’re running a small startup from a gray-zone jurisdiction without strong regulation in place, your odds of getting through the door aren’t great. Google is erring on the side of caution, favoring established, compliant projects.
Types of Crypto Products Eligible for Advertising
So, what can you promote? Under the new Google Ads cryptocurrency policy, only a narrow subset of products make the cut. And even those are split into two buckets: those that can run ads for crypto without certification and those that must be certified first.
Without Certification
In a few rare cases, crypto-adjacent tools may be advertised without going through the full certification gauntlet. This typically includes:
- Educational content about blockchain (as long as it doesn’t promote specific tokens)
- Tax software or portfolio tools that support crypto
- Hardware wallets (if not directly promoting purchases of crypto assets)
Even here, Google makes it safe. Mentioning price predictions, token launches, or anything that could be construed as financial advice is still restricted.
With Certification
Certified advertisers can now promote:
- Centralized crypto exchanges (like Coinbase or Kraken)
- Custodial wallets
- NFT marketplaces (in limited regions)
- Blockchain-based payment services (with proper licensing)
These categories are tightly controlled and region-specific. For instance, crypto banner ads promoting trading apps might be approved in the U.S. but banned in France, depending on local financial rules. So even after getting certified, advertisers need to geo-fence aggressively and monitor compliance.
Types of Crypto Products Not Eligible for Advertising
Google’s updated policy still prohibits the promotion of:
- Decentralized finance platforms (DeFi)
- Initial coin offerings (ICOs)
- Token sales, airdrops, and presales
- Signals, “crypto investment tips,” or guaranteed profit schemes
- Unregulated synthetic assets, leveraged tokens, and prediction markets
Even some NFT-related services are on thin ice. Anything that blends gaming, staking, and speculative tokens tends to get flagged fast.
If your crypto business is based around anonymity, tokenomics, or anything speculative, you’re probably better off looking beyond Google Ads cryptocurrency routes entirely.
Implications for Advertisers and the Crypto Industry
What does all this mean if you’re planning your next crypto ad campaign?
Visibility is back, but it comes with a leash. For years, crypto projects were forced to rely on Telegram groups, Twitter influencers, and obscure ad networks with questionable traffic. Now, the ability to place crypto ads on Google, the largest ad platform in the world, signals a partial return to mainstream legitimacy.
For advertisers, it means better conversion rates, more control, and a vastly larger reach. Being able to run Google crypto ads puts you in front of the same audiences that fintechs, exchanges, and TradFi apps have been targeting for years. It also opens doors to sophisticated targeting tools, analytics, and campaign optimization features that simply don’t exist on most Web3-native platforms.
At the industry level, the impact might be even bigger. These policy changes create a significant shift. Crypto is no longer being treated; it’s being brought into the fold, as long as it behaves. But make no mistake, this is not mass adoption. It’s a trial period, with Google watching closely to see what happens next.
Challenges and Considerations
Now, before you go all-in on your ads for crypto strategy, let’s talk about the challenges:
- Non-permanent certification: Even after you’re approved, Google can revoke your status anytime, especially if your campaigns trigger user complaints or violate local guidelines. One poorly worded ad, one overhyped promise, and you’re out.
- Regional fragmentation: What flies in the U.K. might get you banned in Australia. Some countries (like Singapore and Canada) have strict frameworks for cryptocurrency advertising regulations, while others are still figuring it out. That means geo-targeting is a mandatory move.
- Ad formats: Don’t expect to add a token chart into a banner and call it a day. Google frowns on anything that feels like investment solicitation. Your crypto banner ads have to focus on utility, security, or education, not hype.
- User sentiment: While mainstream curiosity around crypto is growing again, skepticism lingers. If your message feels too slick or desperate, you’ll lose the trust battle before you’ve even started.
Bitmedia.io – Platform for Crypto Advertising
Bitmedia.io is for those looking for more flexibility than Google currently offers. It’s purpose-built for cryptocurrency advertising to understand the audience, the compliance risks.
Our crypto advertising platform offers precision targeting across a global inventory of crypto-focused websites, wallets, news platforms, and apps. You get control over where your ads appear, who sees them, and how performance is tracked.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t try for Google. If you meet the criteria, go for it. But if you’re still pre-launch or navigating complex jurisdictions, we can bridge the gap with scalable, crypto-native solutions.
There’s no long certification waitlist, no confusing geo-bans, and no risk of getting flagged for mentioning a blockchain project. Bitmedia is an ideal launchpad for startups, Web3 dApps, or token-based ecosystems that don’t yet qualify for Google Ads certification.
Conclusion
Google’s cautious reopening of the gates to crypto advertisers is a green flag of the new direction where the industry is heading. The ban that once symbolized distrust and isolation is now transforming into a new kind of framework that rewards legitimacy, regulation, and accountability.
Will this new wave of Google Ads cryptocurrency advertising policy open the golden age of crypto marketing, or will the guardrails prove too rigid for innovation to break through?
After all, for an industry built on decentralization and disruption, fitting into the world’s most centralized ad ecosystem is no small task.
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