BlackRock Reportedly Preparing to Launch Bitcoin ETP in Europe

The world's largest asset manager BlackRock is reportedly preparing to launch a Bitcoin ETP (exchange-traded product) in Europe.

World's largest asset manager preparing to launch Bitcoin ETP in EuropeThe product will be based in Switzerland and will be directly tied to Bitcoin.BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, is reportedly preparing to launch a Bitcoin exchange-traded product (ETP) in Europe. The product will be based in Switzerland, and will be directly tied to Bitcoin.

The news was first reported by the Financial Times, which cited two people familiar with the matter. The product is expected to be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and will be available to both institutional and retail investors in Europe.

BlackRock is preparing to list an exchange-traded product tied directly to Bitcoin in Europe https://t.co/LqhL2TS2Sc

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Bitcoin ETPs that trade in Europe are very similar instruments to Bitcoin ETFs from the perspective of a retail investor. Both types of products provide investment exposure to Bitcoin, trade on stock exchanges, and eliminate the need to manage private keys

BlackRock already has a dominant position in the U.S. Bitcoin ETF market, with their iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) being more than two times larger than its closest competitor, Fidelity's FBTC. Currently, IBIT has an AUM of $57.7 billion, while FBTC holds $20.9 billion.

The ten largest Bitcoin ETFs in the United States (ranked by total assets). Image source: ETFDB.com

The European market could be more challenging, as there are already over 160 ETPs that track the performance of Bitcoin and are available to investors. In addition to the large number of products that are already available, the size of the European Bitcoin ETP market is currently at only around $17.3 billion, while the U.S. Bitcoin ETF market is much larger with over $120 billion in assets.

However, BlackRock's entry into the European Bitcoin ETP market could provide a significant boost, especially if BlackRock's Bitcoin ETP has a competitive fee structure that forces other issuers to lower their expense ratios as well.

BlackRock's entry into the European Bitcoin ETP market is another sign of growing demand for BitcoinInvestors have become increasingly interested in Bitcoin following Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election, as Trump has positioned himself as staunchly pro-crypto and has received significant backing from the cryptocurrency industry.

Trump's crypto czar David Sacks has recently praised the unique properties of Bitcoin, labeling it as an excellent store of value. Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis is encouraging people to buy and hold Bitcoin to protect themselves from the debasement of the US dollar.

The algorithmic Bitcoin price prediction on CoinCodex is also optimistic about Bitcoin's prospects in 2025, forecasting the BTC price to reach as high as $176,000 in 2025.