The world’s largest asset manager has taken another major step into digital finance. BlackRock has officially listed its iShares Bitcoin ETP (IB1T) on the London Stock Exchange, giving British investors their first opportunity to gain Bitcoin exposure directly through regulated, traditional investment accounts.
The product functions like any other exchange-traded investment – yet behind the ticker lies actual Bitcoin. Each share of IB1T represents physically held BTC, securely custodied by Coinbase. This approach removes one of crypto’s biggest hurdles for traditional investors: handling wallets and private keys. Instead, ownership and settlement occur within the familiar structure of the UK’s financial markets.
The launch reflects the growing appetite for digital assets among UK investors. According to BlackRock’s People & Money report, the country is emerging as one of Europe’s fastest-growing crypto markets, with participation climbing 12% annually since 2022 and expected to rise another 21% in the next year. The firm projects that as many as four million UK investors could hold crypto by the end of 2025.
BlackRock designed IB1T with an institutional-grade framework – leveraging Coinbase’s custody systems, multiparty computation, and offline cold storage for end-of-day security. Bitcoin assets in the ETP are segregated from other holdings and transferred to cold storage daily, ensuring full collateralization and auditability.
Jane Sloan, BlackRock’s EMEA head of product solutions, described the launch as “a secure bridge between traditional markets and the digital asset economy.” She emphasized that UK investors can now participate in the Bitcoin market through regulated channels backed by the firm’s governance standards.
The BlackRock Investment Institute also offered guidance for investors curious about portfolio exposure, noting that a 1–2% Bitcoin allocation could make sense for those able to tolerate volatility within diversified holdings.
This move cements London’s role in Europe’s digital asset transition. After years of hesitation among regulators, BlackRock’s listing represents a clear signal: crypto is no longer an outsider to mainstream finance – it’s now part of the system itself.
