BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager with over $10 trillion in assets, has officially launched its first Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Product (ETP) in the United Kingdom. The move comes shortly after the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) lifted its four-year ban on crypto-based exchange-traded products, opening new opportunities for both institutional and retail investors.
According to the Financial Times, BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin ETP (IB1T) began trading on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) on Monday. The product provides UK investors with a secure, regulated, and transparent way to gain exposure to Bitcoin without having to hold the cryptocurrency directly.
This launch marks BlackRock’s first Bitcoin-linked product in the UK, following similar ETP rollouts in Germany, France, and the Netherlands earlier this year.
Jane Sloan, Head of Global Product Solutions for EMEA at BlackRock, highlighted the growing appetite for crypto exposure among UK investors:
“With the UK’s crypto investor base expected to reach nearly four million next year, this listing provides a safer and more transparent entry point into digital assets through traditional investment channels.”
Within its first hour of trading, the iShares Bitcoin ETP recorded over 1,000 shares traded, signaling strong investor demand. The launch follows the FCA’s recent decision to end its four-year prohibition on retail access to crypto exchange-traded notes (ETNs) — a major regulatory milestone for the UK’s crypto market.
Mark Aruliah, Head of Policy at Elliptic, praised the policy shift, noting that regulated market access helps protect consumers while keeping capital within domestic financial systems. He also emphasized that maintaining regulatory momentum will be essential for the UK to remain globally competitive in digital finance.
Globally, BlackRock continues to dominate the institutional crypto landscape. Its iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) in the United States has already surpassed $85.5 billion in assets under management, making it one of the largest Bitcoin investment products worldwide.
Other Asset Managers Follow BlackRock’s Lead
The launch has inspired other major players to expand their offerings in the UK. 21Shares introduced four physically backed crypto ETPs — including ABTC, CBTC, and AETH — featuring a low 0.10% fee structure aimed at affordable digital asset exposure. CEO Russell Barlow called the move “a milestone moment for UK retail investors,” emphasizing that Bitcoin and Ethereum ETPs represent just the beginning of broader innovation in the country’s financial landscape.
Similarly, Bitwise launched its Core Bitcoin ETP (BTC1) on the LSE’s retail segment, cutting management fees to 0.05%, while WisdomTree rolled out physically backed Bitcoin and Ethereum products with fees ranging from 0.15% to 0.35%.
Alexis Marinof, Head of Europe at WisdomTree, noted that these listings “reflect how far the market has matured, offering investors transparency, safety, and institutional-level safeguards.”
Following the FCA’s decision, the UK and the U.S. are also strengthening cooperation on digital asset regulation, with a focus on stablecoin frameworks and broader crypto oversight — signaling a new era for the UK’s crypto and fintech sectors.
