BlackRock Approved to Offer Crypto Services in UK, Expanding Digital Asset Footprint

• Facilitate the execution of crypto asset transactions to support ETP subscriptions and redemptions between the issuer and designated authorized participants.

• Sell digital assets for fiat cy to cover operational expenses for itself and the issuer’s service providers.

• Convert digital assets into fiat during early redemptions of the ETP.

Meanwhile, BlackRock is not allowed to onboard new clients for this service unless it receives written permission from the FCA. Furthermore, the firm is restricted from operating automated machines that convert fiat to crypto or vice versa. It is also prohibited from holding or controlling client funds. Market observers have suggested that the approval could allow the firm to expand its iShares Bitcoin ETP to the UK. Last month, BlackRock launched its iShares Bitcoin ETP for European users via the Euronext exchanges in Paris, Amsterdam, and Germany’s Xetra exchanges.

This product is available to institutional and knowledgeable retail investors. It aims to provide secure and regulated access to Bitcoin through traditional stock exchanges. The ETP has a temporary fee waiver that reduces its total expense ratio to 0.15% until the end of the year. It is denominated in US dollars and backed by Bitcoin, which Coinbase holds in offline cold storage.