UK Weighs Lifting Retail Ban on Crypto Exchange-Traded Products

The UK’s financial regulator proposed lifting its ban on retail investors buying exchange-traded products tied to cryptocurrencies, seeking to bolster competitiveness against a resurgent US crypto market under Donald Trump.

The Financial Conduct Authority said the change would mean existing exchange-traded notes tied to tokens like Bitcoin and Ether can be sold to retail buyers, as long as they’re traded on an FCA-approved exchange. The regulator permitted such products to be traded on venues like the London Stock Exchange last year, but only among professional investors.

While crypto ETPs have been available on European bourses for a decade, ...