UK lifts retail ban on crypto ETPs, unlocking access to a £800B market

The UK has taken a decisive step toward mainstream crypto adoption after the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) lifted its three-year ban on retail trading of crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs).

The decision, announced on Oct. 8, reverses a January 2021 restriction that prevented retail investors from accessing crypto exchange-traded notes (ETNs) over volatility and consumer-protection concerns.

As a result, trading on approved UK exchanges such as the London Stock Exchange is expected to begin on Oct. 16, marking a new phase for regulated crypto investment in Europe’s largest financial market.

According to the FCA, eligible ETNs will initially cover Bitcoin and Ethereum, and all trading will occur through authorized UK-based investment exchanges with consumer safeguards in place.

Opening crypto to an £800 billion market

The FCA’s decision arrives at a pivotal moment for the market, as it’s as both a policy breakthrough and a pipeline catalyst for new inflows.

Bradley Duke, Bitwise’s head of Europe, called it “incredibly positive,” emphasizing that the UK remains Europe’s largest investment base. The entry of retail capital, he said, “unlocks a deep pool of demand that has been sitting on the sidelines since 2021.”

The impact of the FCE’s move could extend beyond access alone.

The HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) confirmed that crypto ETNs will become qualifying investments for the Innovative Finance ISA from April 2026.

This means UK investors can now hold crypto ETPs in tax-advantaged accounts such as Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and pension schemes.

This could also reshape retail participation, as the UK’s 12 million crypto users would be incentivized to hold Bitcoin in their pension.

According to a report from UK authorities, Britons held roughly £872 billion in ISA accounts. If even 1% of that capital is allocated to crypto ETPs, it would represent over £8 billion (equivalent to more than $9 billion) in potential inflows, which is more than enough to shift the global market share of crypto exposure.

Skepticism remains

However, skepticism about the industry still remains.

Hargreaves Larsdown, the largest investment platform in the UK, has decried this potential surge in investment.

According to the firm:

“The HL Investment view is that bitcoin is not an asset class, and we do not think cryptocurrency has characteristics that mean it should be included in portfolios for growth or income and shouldn’t be relied upon to help clients meet their financial goals. Performance assumptions are not possible to analyze for crypto, and unlike other alternative asset classes it has no intrinsic value.”

Despite these concerns, momentum around crypto investment products continues to accelerate globally.

In the US, spot Bitcoin ETFs have accumulated $62.8 billion in inflows since their launch in 2024, with net assets reaching $164.7 billion, according to SoSo Value data. Additional data from CoinShares showed that global crypto funds have attracted $45.5 billion in new capital this year.

These numbers are likely to climb significantly as traditional financial institutional giants like BlackRock and Morgan Stanley advise investors to allocate their funds to the top crypto.

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