Tag: products

  • BlackRock brings Bitcoin ETP to UK as regulator opens door for crypto products

    BlackRock brings Bitcoin ETP to UK as regulator opens door for crypto products

    BlackRock brings bitcoin ETP to UK as regulator opens door for crypto products

    • ETP mirrors bitcoin price and trades via the London Stock Exchange.
    • UK aims to become a global hub for regulated digital-asset products.
    • FCA allows tokenisation of investment funds using blockchain technology.

    The investment giant BlackRock has launched its first bitcoin-linked exchange-traded product (ETP) in the United Kingdom, signalling a major step in bridging traditional finance with the crypto sector.

    The move follows the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) decision to ease restrictions on crypto investment vehicles, allowing investors to gain exposure to bitcoin without directly holding it.

    The launch not only widens access to digital assets for UK investors but also highlights a growing convergence between global asset managers and regulators in adapting to the evolution of financial markets.

    BlackRock’s bitcoin ETP debuts on the London Stock Exchange

    The iShares Bitcoin ETP, now listed on the London Stock Exchange, is designed to mirror the price of bitcoin and offer exposure within a regulated structure.

    The product allows investors to buy fractions of bitcoin through units starting at about $11, making participation in the asset class more accessible.

    Unlike holding bitcoin directly, investors can trade the ETP through standard brokerage accounts, bypassing the complexities of digital wallets or private key management.

    The product’s underlying assets are securely held by regulated custodians, ensuring compliance and oversight under the UK’s financial rules.

    BlackRock’s UK-listed ETP builds on the firm’s earlier success with its bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the United States, which has accumulated over $85 billion in net assets.

    It also adds to its European range, complementing listings in Switzerland, Paris, Amsterdam, and Frankfurt.

    FCA’s easing of crypto investment restrictions

    The launch comes shortly after the FCA lifted its four-year ban on crypto exchange-traded notes (ETNs) on 9 October 2025.

    The regulator stated that UK investors could now access such products through approved exchanges, reflecting a broader acceptance of crypto-linked investment options.

    The decision marks a turning point for crypto regulation in the UK.

    It suggests a shift from outright restrictions to a more measured approach that balances investor protection with innovation.

    The FCA’s announcement followed months of consultation with industry players and international regulators.

    Expanding opportunities for asset managers and investors

    BlackRock’s move is expected to encourage other global asset managers to follow suit, as the UK repositions itself as a hub for financial innovation post-Brexit.

    The FCA’s approval has opened the door for firms such as VanEck, DWS, and WisdomTree to explore similar launches.

    For retail investors, the product offers exposure to bitcoin’s price movements through a traditional investment wrapper.

    It eliminates the need for managing crypto wallets and navigating unregulated exchanges, while allowing investment through familiar platforms.

    The regulator’s decision also aligns with the UK Treasury’s ambition to make the country a global centre for digital assets.

    It supports ongoing efforts to integrate blockchain into traditional finance, paving the way for tokenised funds and blockchain-based asset management in the future.

    Crypto risks and the future of tokenisation in the UK

    Despite the easing of rules, the FCA maintained that its ban on crypto derivatives for retail investors will remain.

    While the ETP operates under a regulated structure, exposure to Bitcoin still carries the same volatility and market risks associated with the underlying asset.

    In parallel, the UK is exploring broader blockchain adoption across financial services.

    On 14 October 2025, the FCA announced new provisions allowing asset managers to use distributed ledger technology for fund tokenisation.

    The move is intended to foster innovation and efficiency, signalling that the regulator sees long-term potential in blockchain applications beyond cryptocurrencies.

    By facilitating regulated access to bitcoin and promoting tokenisation, the UK is gradually laying the groundwork for a digital financial ecosystem where traditional and decentralised finance coexist.

    BlackRock’s ETP marks a key milestone in this transition, setting the stage for more institutional crypto products in one of the world’s leading financial markets.

     

    Source link

  • Crypto investment products see first inflows in over a month

    Crypto investment products see first inflows in over a month

    • Digital assets investment products saw $130 million in inflows, the first after four weeks of outflows.
    • Bitcoin remains above $62k and saw inflows of $144 million this past week.

    As Bitcoin shows fresh resilience above $62,000, latest market data reveals that digital asset investment products recorded inflows for the first time in over a month last week.

    On Monday, digital assets manager CoinShares published its weekly report on crypto investment products.

    The details showed the industry saw $130 million in inflows for the week ending May 10. It’s the first time the metric reads positive since the first week of April – a run of four weeks of outflows.

    Notably, Bitcoin saw inflows of $144 million, while short-Bitcoin ETPs recorded outflows of $5.1 million.

    The majority of the inflows were seen in the US, with $135 million. Hong Kong saw $19 million in inflows. Elsewhere, Canada and Germany recorded outflows of $20 million and $15 million respectively.

    ETP volumes remain low

    While the week saw inflows overall, CoinShares’s head of research James Butterfill wrote in the company blog that ETP volumes have continued to decline.

    For instance, the market saw ETP volumes of $8 billion last week, while it averaged $17 billion in April.

    These volumes highlight ETP investors are participating less in the crypto ecosystem at present, representing 22% of total volumes on global trusted exchanges relative to 31% last month,” Butterfill noted.

    Source link

  • Inflows into crypto products surpass $1B year-to-date

    Inflows into crypto products surpass $1B year-to-date

    • Digital asset investment products recorded inflows of $293 million last week.
    • Bitcoin saw $240 million, Ethereum $49 million and Solana $12 million.
    • A report by CoinShares shows year-to-date inflows have surpassed $1 billion.

    Inflows into digital asset investment products hit $293 million last week, the seventh consecutive week of positive flows. 

    According to data from asset manager CoinShares, the 7-week streak of inflows has brought the total year-to-date flows into crypto exchange traded products to $1.14 billion. This follows increased institutional interest that has pushed yearly inflows YTD to its third highest yearly level. 

    Meanwhile, total assets under management (AuM) in cryptocurrencies have increased 9.6% this past week.

    The weekly flows report shows total AuM stood at $44.3 billion last week, up 99% this year and at the highest level since May 2022.

    Bitcoin inflows hit $240 million last week

    In specific investment products, Bitcoin saw $240 million in inflows last week to bring the total YTD reading to $1.08 billion. ETP trading volume for the flagship cryptocurrency accounted for nearly 20% of volume on trusted exchanges.

    James Butterfill, the head of research at CoinShares, notes that the increase in ETP volume compared to BTC trading volume is a rare occurrence that “suggests ETP investors are participating much more in this rally compared to 2020/21.”

    Also notable were the inflows into Ethereum investment products.

    According to CoinShares’ weekly report, inflows of $49 million last week was the largest for Ether since August 2022. The sentiment around Ether-based ETPs has improved significantly over the past two weeks. Notably, this outlook is unfolding as spot Ethereum ETF filings spark interest.

    Solana sees huge inflows

    Solana, one of the top performing crypto assets these past few weeks, also recorded notable inflows this past week. $12 million were poured into SOL products over the seven days , while the altcoin leads the segment with $121 million in year-to-date inflows.

    The optimism is reflected in the SOL price, which had fallen dramatically in November 2022 as the market reacted to the collapse of FTX. At current levels of $59, Solana is trading 170% over the past 30 days and 315% over the past year.

    Source link

  • Crypto investment products saw outflows of $6.5M last week

    Crypto investment products saw outflows of $6.5M last week

    • About $6.5 million flowed out of funds tracking different cryptocurrencies last week.
    • Bitcoin recorded $13 million in outflows, while Ethereum benefited from XRP-driven sentiment to record $6.6 million in inflows.
    • The minor outflows follow 4 consecutive weeks of inflows.

    CoinShares’ latest report on digital assets investment products suggests the industry saw minor outflows of $6.5 million over the past week. The outflows follow a consecutive four weeks of inflows that saw investors pour $742 million into different crypto investment products.

    James Butterfill, Head of Research at CoinShares noted that while Bitcoin recorded the most outflows, data showed sentiment towards Ethereum investment products looks to have flipped positive.

    Ethereum and XRP record inflows

    As highlighted in a report published on Monday, funds tracking Bitcoin logged $13 million of outflows and short-bitcoin products recorded $5.5 million in outflows – its 13th consecutive week. 

    Meanwhile, Ethereum products witnessed $6.6 million in inflows, with Butterfill noting that the shift in sentiment around ETH has coincided with the recent court ruling in the Ripple Labs versus US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

    US Judge Analisa Torres delivered a partial win for Ripple in its battle with the SEC when she ruled that XRP was not a security as sold on exchanges.

    The price of XRP shot up following the ruling, rising more than 100% to hit highs near the much-coveted $1 level. But while XRP failed to break to the psychological 100 cents mark, it appears investor confidence in the cryptocurrency greatly benefited it.

    XRP, both prior to, and following the conclusion of the recent SEC lawsuit, has seen inflows totalling US$6.8m over the last 11 weeks representing 8% of AuM. This implies investors are increasingly confident in the outlook for XRP,” Butterfill wrote.

    The positive sentiment was also replicated in Solana, Uniswap and Polygon that registered inflows of $1.1 million, $0.7 million and $0.7 million respectively.

    Source link

  • Inflows into Bitcoin products surged by $116 million last week

    Inflows into Bitcoin products surged by $116 million last week

    • Digital asset investment products saw inflows of about $117 million last week, the biggest since July 2022.
    • Bitcoin saw almost all of last week’s digital asset investment products inflows, with $116 million of the total.
    • Total assets under management (AUM) rose $28 billion, roughly 43% from inflow lows recorded in November.

    Bitcoin saw the most fund inflows this past week, with the benchmark cryptocurrency accounting for nearly all of the weekly inflows.

    According to a weekly report digital asset manager CoinShares shared on Monday, crypto asset investment products recorded inflows of $117 million. It was the biggest week for inflows across digital asset investment products since July 2022.

    Bitcoin products saw inflows of $116 million

    Bitcoin accounted for nearly $116 million of the total digital assets products inflows. And as Bitcoin price rose above $23,000, inflows into Short Bitcoin products represented $4.4 million of weekly totals. 

    In other cryptocurrencies, inflows into Ethereum were $2.3 million and $1.1 million for Solana. 

    However, multi-asset investment products saw a ninth consecutive week of outflows with $6.4 million. Binance and XRP also saw outflows of around $400,000 and $200,000 respectively.

    The spike in inflows pushed total assets under management (AUM) to over $2.8 billion, with the metric up by 43% from its November low. Investment products also saw an improvement in terms of weekly volumes.

    Per the CoinShares report, $1.3 billion was traded, up 17% compared to the year-to-date average. The volume was also higher compared to the average of 11% for the broader crypto market.

    In terms of various regions, Germany saw about 40% of the inflows for approximately $46 million, while Canada, the United States and Switzerland saw the next three largest inflow batches with $30 million, $26 million and $23 million respectively.

    Source link

  • Inflows into Bitcoin products surged by $116 last week

    Inflows into Bitcoin products surged by $116 last week

    • Digital asset investment products saw inflows of about $117 million last week, the biggest since July 2022.
    • Bitcoin saw almost all of last week’s digital asset investment products inflows, with $116 of the total.
    • Total assets under management (AUM) rose $28 billion, roughly 43% from inflow lows recorded in November.

    Bitcoin saw the most fund inflows this past week, with the benchmark cryptocurrency accounting for nearly all of the weekly inflows.

    According to a weekly report digital asset manager CoinShares shared on Monday, crypto asset investment products recorded inflows of $117 million. It was the biggest week for inflows across digital asset investment products since July 2022.

    Bitcoin products saw inflows of $116 million

    Bitcoin accounted for nearly $116 million of the total digital assets products inflows. And as Bitcoin price rose above $23,000, inflows into Short Bitcoin products represented $4.4 million of weekly totals. 

    In other cryptocurrencies, inflows into Ethereum were $2.3 million and $1.1 million for Solana. 

    However, multi-asset investment products saw a ninth consecutive week of outflows with $6.4 million. Binance and XRP also saw outflows of around $400,000 and $200,000 respectively.

    The spike in inflows pushed total assets under management (AUM) to over $2.8 billion, with the metric up by 43% from its November low. Investment products also saw an improvement in terms of weekly volumes.

    Per the CoinShares report, $1.3 billion was traded, up 17% compared to the year-to-date average. The volume was also higher compared to the average of 11% for the broader crypto market.

    In terms of various regions, Germany saw about 40% of the inflows for approximately $46 million, while Canada, the United States and Switzerland saw the next three largest inflow batches with $30 million, $26 million and $23 million respectively.

    Source link