BNP Paribas brings crypto ETNs to investors in France

BNP Paribas is widening its digital asset offering in France by adding six crypto-linked exchange-traded notes for retail investors. 

Meanwhile, the move gives clients access to Bitcoin and Ether through regulated market products without requiring direct crypto custody. The launch also adds to the bank’s wider blockchain and tokenization activity across Europe.

BNP Paribas will offer six crypto-linked ETNs to retail clients in France from Monday through standard securities accounts. The products track the price of Bitcoin and Ether and will be available to individual investors, entrepreneurs, private banking clients, and users of Hello bank!.

The bank may later extend access to wealth management clients outside France. This step places BNP Paribas among the large European banks expanding digital asset exposure through listed and regulated investment products rather than direct token trading.

The ETNs allow investors to follow the performance of Bitcoin and Ether without buying or storing the assets directly. This structure removes the need for private wallets or direct handling of crypto holdings through an exchange.

At the same time, the products carry credit risk because the investment depends on the issuer’s ability to meet its obligations. The offering gives clients a regulated route into crypto-linked exposure while keeping the investment within a traditional securities account framework.

In addition, the new offering follows BNP Paribas’ broader work in digital finance. In 2024, the bank arranged and placed Slovenia’s first digital sovereign bond, which marked the European Union’s first blockchain-based government bond issuance.

The bank has also expanded its role in institutional blockchain networks. In September last year, BNP Paribas and HSBC joined the Canton Foundation, which oversees the Canton Network, a blockchain system built for institutional finance and tokenized real-world assets.

European market shows wider crypto ETN growth

BNP Paribas’ move comes as more European institutions add crypto-linked products to their investment platforms. ING Germany recently expanded its range with crypto ETNs from Bitwise and VanEck, showing continued demand for listed digital asset exposure.

The market has also reopened in the United Kingdom. Crypto ETNs returned to UK retail trading in October 2025 after the Financial Conduct Authority reversed its earlier ban. 

BNP Paribas’ launch adds France to that broader regional trend as banks test regulated crypto access through existing investment channels.