BlackRock launches Bitcoin ETP after UK lifts trading ban

BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin ETP debuts on the London Stock Exchange as UK regulators ease rules on crypto-linked investment products.

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. 

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