SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Chinese authorities have ordered Beijing-based crypto-currency exchanges to cease trading and to tell users by Friday about when trading will end, the Securities Times newspaper reported citing industry sources and a government notice.

The newspaper said the Beijing city regulator held talks with crypto-currency exchanges in the city on Friday.

It also cited another notice issued by a Beijing city group in charge of overseeing internet finance risks as saying exchanges must announce an immediate stop to new user registrations by Friday.

A source familiar with the notice told Reuters that the government order was authentic.