Leading European bank BNP Paribas is adding several exchange-traded notes (ETNs) based on major cryptocurrencies to its financial products.
The move is part of the banking behemoth’s push to grow its presence in a space occupied by decentralized digital assets and technologies.
BNP Paribas issues six cryptocurrency ETNs in France
The French retail banking arm of BNP Paribas has introduced six crypto ETNs to expand its stock market offering, an announcement unveiled before the weekend.
The financial instruments are pegged to Bitcoin and Ethereum, the digital currencies with the biggest market capitalization.
Individual investors in France will be able to gain exposure to the performance of the two assets without directly buying or holding BTC and ETH.
BNP Paribas already offers customers access to stocks, bonds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), French real estate investment trusts (SCPIs), and structured products.
It’s adding the new instruments to its portfolio to “meet the growing interest of some investors in the crypto market,” according to the press release.
The six crypto ETNs are regulated securities issued by recognized asset managers, selected after assessment of their risk management frameworks.
They will be available through a securities account in France, starting March 30, 2026, and will eventually be offered to clients outside the country.
The Paris-headquartered BNP Paribas is Europe’s second-largest bank by assets, after the U.K.-based HSBC, and the largest within the EU, ahead of another French giant, Crédit Agricole.
BNP Paribas dives deeper into the crypto world
The ETN debut comes after BNP Paribas recently tokenized a money market fund on the Ethereum blockchain, using its AssetFoundry platform.
The launch is another demonstration of the group’s commitment to integrating decentralized crypto technologies while adhering to the strict regulations governing traditional finance, the French crypto news outlet Journal du Coin commented in a report, noting:
“The crypto-TradFi merger is progressing slowly but surely. BNP Paribas continues its foray into the world of Bitcoin.”
The ETNs give “a secure and regulated entry point for individuals interested in this rapidly expanding asset class” within the banking giant’s strategy for “responsible innovation,” the article elaborated.
While exposing investors to the dynamic markets of BTC and ETH, they keep them away from the various risks and complexities of owning the volatile digital assets.
BNP Paribas is gradually establishing itself as a European leader when it comes to compliant integration of cryptocurrencies into fiat finance that ensures investor protection.
Analysts say the move will attract traditional customers seeking to diversify their portfolios and will strengthen its position as an innovative bank on the Old Continent.
Exchange-traded notes are part of a broad category of exchange-traded products (ETPs) that also includes exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
The offering of such financial instruments tied to major cryptocurrencies has been growing around the world, bringing more capital into the digital-asset space.
Last month, the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE), Eastern Europe’s largest stock market, approved the launch of four ETNs linked to leading digital coins, as reported by Cryptopolitan.
The instruments, based on Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), and Ripple’s XRP, are issued by the Swedish company Virtune AB and support staking.
The ETNs offer Polish investors a chance to put money into crypto without direct exposure, even as the country’s government continues to struggle with the adoption of proper regulations for the sector.
EU member states like Poland and France are obliged to implement the latest European rules under the Union’s Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) law.
The framework is expected to increase the offering of regulated crypto-based financial products across the 27-strong bloc in the coming years.
