BlackRock Launches Bitcoin ETP in the UK After FCA Lifts Ban

BlackRock launched a Bitcoin-linked exchange-traded product (ETP) in the United Kingdom following the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) decision to ease restrictions on crypto investment vehicles.

On Monday, the asset manager’s website showed that the iShares Bitcoin ETP had been listed on the London Stock Exchange. According to the Sunday Times, the product, which is structured as a Bitcoin-linked security, will allow investors to buy fractions of Bitcoin (BTC) through units starting at about $11. 

The ETP is designed to mirror BTC prices while trading within a regulated framework, allowing investors to participate in the crypto market through traditional brokerage accounts. It allows UK-based retail investors to gain exposure to Bitcoin without directly holding the asset or trading it on crypto exchanges. 

BlackRock is one of the most successful issuers of Bitcoin-linked ETPs. According to SoSoValue, the company’s iShares Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) has net assets of over $85 billion. 

UK FCA eases stance on crypto-linked investment vehicles

The move came weeks after the UK softened its stance on certain crypto-linked ETPs. On Oct. 9, the FCA lifted its four-year ban on crypto exchange-traded notes (ETNs). The regulator said investors can access these products through FCA-approved exchanges based in the UK. 

David Geale, FCA executive director of payments and digital finance, said that since they restricted retail ETN access, the market has evolved. He said that products are now more mainstream and better understood. 

A crypto ETN is traded similarly to other securities, with its underlying assets held securely by regulated custodians. 

Related: Bitcoin ETFs shed $1.2B in red week, but Schwab remains bullish

While it softened its stance on ETPs, the regulator said its retail ban on crypto asset derivatives will remain. However, the FCA added that it will keep an eye on the market and consider its approach to these “high-risk investments.”

Apart from ETNs, the UK also moved to allow asset managers to use blockchain technology for fund tokenization.

On Oct. 14, the regulator said the move aimed to drive innovation and growth in asset management. The regulator recognized that tokenization has the “potential to drive fundamental changes in asset management.”