Retail access to crypto ETFs to face Consumer Duty hurdles even if 'unlikely' UK approval granted

Platform concerns over investor protections

Valeria Martinez
clock • 3 min read

Direct-to-consumer investment platforms in the UK may face obstacles in offering crypto ETFs due to Consumer Duty regulations, should these products ever be approved for sale by the Financial Conduct Authority.

The Securities and Exchange Commission approved the applications of several spot bitcoin ETFs last week, a move long-awaited by the cryptocurrency industry, which had seen previous attempts to launch these products shot down by the regulator. Eleven spot bitcoin ETFs, including BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust, Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, the WisdomTree Bitcoin fund and ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF, began trading last Thursday (11 January).  Despite the decision being described by many as a "watershed moment", some players have approached the move with caution. Vanguard, the world's second ...

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