The global investment management giant BlackRock has listed a Bitcoin exchange-traded product (ETP) on the London Stock Exchange. This debut opens a regulated on-ramp for UK investors to gain exposure to Bitcoin without owning the token directly.
The UK crypto landscape is rapidly evolving. According to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the market now accounts for about £13.3 billion ($17.79 billion) in crypto assets held by roughly 7 million investors.
Against this backdrop, BlackRock’s new Bitcoin ETP offers UK investors a more straightforward and safer way to gain exposure to bitcoin. Instead of buying and storing BTC directly, investors can now trade it like any other stock. The ETP closely tracks the price of BTC and holds the underlying asset in secure custody.
For many, this marks the first time they can access Bitcoin through a regulated UK exchange. BlackRock launched the product under its trusted iShares brand, aiming to bridge traditional finance with the expanding crypto market.
Notably, this launch follows the FCA’s recent decision to lift restrictions on crypto-based exchange-traded products (ETPs). Before this change, retail investors in the UK had limited or no access to such products. Now, they can use their regular brokerage accounts to invest in Bitcoin, marking a major milestone in the UK’s digital-asset evolution.
Meanwhile, prominent Bitcoin investors are showing a clear preference for regulated funds. According to Bloomberg, large holders or whales are converting their bitcoin into ETF-style products managed by firms like BlackRock. This shift shows that major crypto investors now favor exposure backed by Wall Street oversight and infrastructure, rather than self-hosting digital assets.
Consequently, BlackRock is urging Bitcoin investors to transfer their tokens into its flagship fund, IBIT. The firm views this as a way to capture growing digital-asset wealth and channel it into mainstream financial products.
This move could speed up Bitcoin’s integration into everyday investment portfolios, making it more accessible to advisers and retail clients within familiar regulatory frameworks.
With nearly $65 billion in inflows since its 2023 debut, BlackRock’s US Bitcoin ETF underscores the company’s growing dominance in crypto investing.
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