On a landmark day for UK investors last week, the Investing, Markets & Money podcast discussed the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) decision to allow retail access to listed crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs). Stuart Fieldhouse spoke with Dovile Silenskyte from WisdomTree’s Digital Assets team to explore the implications for investors.
Silenskyte explained that WisdomTree has over five years’ experience managing crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) in Europe, offering both single-coin and basket products. Until now, UK investors could only access these through institutional channels, while retail investors were excluded. The FCA’s decision brings the UK in line with Europe, enabling retail investors to gain exposure to digital assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum via traditional brokerage accounts rather than crypto wallets.
She emphasized that ETPs offer advantages over holding crypto directly — investors avoid managing private keys or worrying about hacks, while custody, insurance, and cold storage are handled by professional custodians. All WisdomTree’s products are 100% physically backed, meaning they hold the underlying digital assets in segregated cold wallets.
Discussing product structure, Silenskyte clarified that crypto ETPs differ from UCITS ETFs due to concentration limits but function similarly in trading and transparency. She also contrasted physical vs. synthetic exposure, noting that futures-based products can suffer from “roll costs” that reduce returns.
WisdomTree’s Ethereum ETP includes staking, providing yield to investors but with liquidity and slashing risks mitigated by insurance and conservative staking limits.
Silenskyte spoke before the announcement confirming crypto ETPs will soon qualify for inclusion in ISAs and SIPPs, arguing they should be treated like gold ETFs. For portfolio allocation, she suggested around 2% exposure to digital assets as a “market-cap neutral” starting point.
Her closing message: crypto ETPs offer a safer, regulated, and simpler way for everyday investors to access digital assets—without the operational complexity of wallets or exchanges.
Dovile Silenskyte: UK Investors Can Finally Buy Bitcoin & Ethereum ETPs!
Watch or Listen on:
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@armchairtrader
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2vfaIsY…
- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast…
- Amazon: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/6…
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/armchairtrader
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to WisdomTree in crypto markets
01:54 Allowing access for retail investors
02:50 Managing your own wallets
03:37 What are crypto ETFs?
05:00 Do ETF managers use pure crypto exposure?
05:52 How crypto custody works
08:58 Ethereum yield from staking, and risks
11:15 Benefits for investors of the ETF model
12:00 Reduced liquidity risk
12:40 Including in ISAs and SIPPs
13:33 Coins becoming available
15:36 Leveraged crypto products
17:52 How much to own in your portfolio?
19:08 Actively managed crypto products and fees
22:09 Finding out more at wisdomtree.eu
