In Short
The Situation: Direct ownership of
crypto-assets or mere exposure to the value of crypto-assets is an
investment decision, with both investment methods requiring
specific approaches to mitigate and manage risks effectively.
The Answer: Crypto exchange-traded products
("crypto ETPs") are (traditional) securities that use a
traditional financial product to provide investors with exposure to
the value of one or more crypto-assets, without requiring direct
ownership or management of the underlying crypto-assets.
Looking Ahead: While crypto ETPs in the form of
crypto exchange-traded funds ("crypto ETFs") gained
momentum in the United States in 2024, crypto ETPs in the form of
crypto exchange-traded notes ("crypto ETNs") have seen
increased market interest in Europe in 2025, driven by renewed
optimism in crypto-assets, as well as both recent and prospective
regulatory developments.