Swiss financial regulator FINMA has approved the country’s first bitcoin exchange-traded fund for retail investors.
The watchdog said Tuesday that the approval comes as people in Switzerland express a growing interest in crypto — particularly bitcoin.
Bitcoin ETFs — particularly in the U.S. — have widened the scope of investors who can buy and sell the leading cryptocurrency. Via shares that trade on the stock exchange, investors can buy exposure to the biggest cryptocurrency in a safe and regulated way.
“As early as 2021, FINMA authorised a fund for qualified investors that invests primarily in a basket of cryptocurrencies,” the announcement read.
“As Bitcoin has a long trading history and a particularly high trading volume compared with other cryptocurrencies, FINMA has approved an exemption from the applicable risk diversification rules in this case.”
It added: “At the same time, FINMA emphasises that investments in Bitcoin — even through an approved ETF — remain highly risky.”
The announcement did not reveal which asset manager or bank would debut the product. Switzerland already has crypto ETFs limited to institutional or qualified investors on the market.
In the U.S., bitcoin ETFs had the most successful debut in the history of investment vehicles when approved in 2024.
Now, traders, institutions, and retail investors can quickly buy shares that track the price of the leading cryptocurrency and not worry about exchanges or storage of the digital coin.
The funds, managed by Wall Street giants like BlackRock, Fidelity, and Morgan Stanley, manage over $97 billion in assets, according to CoinGlass data.
