What happened?
BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin ETP (IB1T) debuted on the London Stock Exchange after the FCA lifted its ban, letting UK investors buy a regulated Bitcoin product. The physically backed fund, custodied by Coinbase, traded over 1,000 shares in its first hour, showing modest but growing interest. The launch follows big inflows into US spot Bitcoin ETFs and expands BlackRock’s crypto footprint across Europe.
Who does this affect?
UK retail investors now have regulated access to Bitcoin through a domestic exchange product for the first time since the ban. Asset managers, ETF issuers and custodians like BlackRock, WisdomTree, 21Shares and Coinbase will compete for those flows. Exchanges, financial advisers and institutional allocators will also be watching as product availability and liquidity shift.
Why does this matter?
The London listing could channel new retail and institutional inflows into Bitcoin, boosting demand, liquidity and potentially price. Increased competition from more issuers will likely tighten spreads and lower fees, making ETPs more attractive and pulling more assets into the space. More broadly, the regulatory green light signals mainstream acceptance that can speed product launches and capital flows in Europe, increasing crypto’s integration with traditional markets.