Global crypto product issuer 21Shares has partnered with UK wealth management app Stratiphy to let retail investors buy and hold crypto Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs) as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) lifts its four-year ban on these products.
The change marks a shift in the UK’s stance on digital assets, allowing retail investors regulated access to crypto for the first time. Stratiphy will become the first UK wealth manager to list 21Shares’ products, which include physically backed Bitcoin and Ethereum ETNs.
Through the app, users will be able to add crypto exposure to their existing portfolios alongside traditional assets. Stratiphy’s AI-based tools allow investors to test and automate investment strategies — features the company says will help retail traders manage risk and plan long-term.
“Investor demand for digital assets continues to soar,” said Daniel Gold, Stratiphy’s founder and CEO. “This partnership ensures we can offer regulated access to crypto as soon as FCA approval takes effect.”
21Shares manages over $11 billion in assets across 50 crypto exchange-traded products listed in Europe. In 2024, €26 billion worth of crypto ETPs were traded on European exchanges, according to company data — a 300% increase from the previous year.
Russell Barlow, CEO of 21Shares, said the FCA lifting its ban on retail access to crypto ETNs is a huge step for the UK, where 12% of adults are already holding cryptoassets directly through largely unregulated platforms and exchanges.
“The lifting of the ban on Bitcoin and Ethereum-backed ETNs is a great first step, allowing retail investors to get exposure to the two biggest cryptoassets in the most simple and secure way,” Barlow said.
“As regulated ETNs, we anticipate that these will be eligible for inclusion into ISA and SIPP portfolios, allowing for tax efficient exposure to cryptoassets as part of an investment portfolio.”
