Crypto ETFs: Invest broadly in Bitcoin & Co. in 2026

Want to profit from Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, but afraid of hacks, fake coins and high volatility? Many beginners fail not only because of the fluctuations, but also because of the complicated technology and constant uncertainty.

Crypto ETFs take a lot of that stress off your shoulders. Instead of wallets and private keys, you get a regulated crypto investment in your portfolio with a single security. Here you can find out how they work and what you absolutely must pay attention to before investing money in Bitcoin & Co. on the stock exchange in 2026.

Why there are no crypto ETFs in the traditional sense in Europe

Many German investors are familiar with the term ‘ETF’ and are therefore looking for crypto ETFs as a convenient way to invest in cryptocurrencies. Strictly speaking, however, there are no real crypto ETFs in Europe, even though they are often referred to as such in colloquial language. The reasons for this are:

• ETFs as special assets: ETFs in Europe are considered special assets and must meet the regulatory requirements of the UCITS Directive.
• UCITS minimum diversification: The UCITS Directive requires diversification according to the 5/10/40 rule, so that no single asset dominates.
• Problem with cryptos: Individual cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum violate these diversification rules, as they would account for 100%.

For this reason, other exchange-traded products are primarily offered for cryptocurrencies: ETPs (exchange-traded products), which can take various forms such as ETCs (exchange-traded commodities) or ETNs (exchange-traded notes).

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That was the first Bitcoin ETP.

On 26 February 2019, the 21Shares Bitcoin ETP (ISIN: CH0454664001) was launched as the world’s first exchange-traded crypto product. This ETP was physically backed by BTC, had a TER of 1.49% and was tradable on the stock exchange (Xetra, SIX Swiss) like a share.

Key features of the first Bitcoin ETP

• High volatility: +1,000%, but also -80% possible.

• Physically backed: Real bitcoins in cold storage (no futures).

• Stock exchange trading: In a securities account, no wallet required.

Stock index vs. crypto index: You need to know these differences

When comparing traditional stock indices such as the MSCI World with colloquially referred to ‘crypto ETFs’, it is noticeable that the latter are often not genuine ETFs, but rather ETNs/ETPs with fundamentally different risks, concentration and structures.

The MSCI World has more than 1,500 shares in which it invests in a broadly diversified manner. The Hashdex Nasdaq Crypto Index Europe ETP (ISIN: CH1184151731), on the other hand, is extremely concentrated on three cryptocurrencies and has only a small admixture of other cryptos. Bitcoin (74.6%), Ethereum (13.5%) and Ripple (6.7%) alone account for just under 94.8%.

With ETFs, this strong focus on a few securities does not exist at all, because the underlying index usually consists of hundreds or even thousands of securities. In addition, ETFs are considered special assets (protected against insolvency). ETNs are debt securities issued by the issuer. If the issuer goes bankrupt, a total loss is very likely.

In summary, ETFs such as the MSCI World invest quite safely and broadly, while ETPs tend to be more concentrated and speculative.

Best crypto ETFs: It’s worth investing here

Personally, I prefer to invest in cryptocurrencies via cold wallets. That way, you have full control over your coins at all times. But that’s a matter of taste. If I had to choose crypto ETFs, I would go for the following:

1. WisdomTree Physical Bitcoin 

First, I would opt for WisdomTree Physical Bitcoin (ISIN: GB00BJYDH287) because it focuses solely on Bitcoin. Due to its high market dominance, this would be my preferred basis in the portfolio.

Strictly speaking, this is a so-called ETN. The main difference between an ETF and an ETN (exchange-traded note) is that ETFs are structured as funds with special assets and are therefore protected against insolvency, while ETNs are unsecured debt securities issued by the issuer and carry counterparty risk.

WisdomTree Physical Bitcoin is a physically replicated ETN that gives investors low-cost access to the Bitcoin price. With a very low total expense ratio (TER) of just 0.15% per annum and a fund size of around €1.1 billion, it is one of the leading Bitcoin products in Europe.

2. CoinShares Physical Staked Solana

CoinShares Physical Staked Solana (ISIN: GB00BNRRFY34) is an exchange-traded ETN that offers you direct access to the price performance of the Solana cryptocurrency. With a fund volume of around €346 million and a reported TER of 0% per annum, the product is clearly aimed at long-term investors who want to invest in Solana efficiently and without their own wallet.

At the same time, the very high historical volatility of over 80% in some cases and drawdowns of over 90% indicate that this is a high-risk crypto product that should only be included in a well-diversified portfolio and with limited exposure.

3. WisdomTree Physical Crypto Altcoins

If I had to invest in an altcoin-focused crypto ETN, I would choose WisdomTree Physical Crypto Altcoins (ISIN: GB00BMTP1519).

This physically replicating ETN with a TER of 0.70% per annum tracks the WisdomTree CF Crypto Altcoins Index, which comprises a diversified selection of major altcoins (excluding Bitcoin and Ethereum) such as Solana, Cardano, Litecoin and Polkadot, and is rebalanced quarterly. Ideal for saving you the hassle of manual selection and management.

However, the low fund volume of around €25 million carries the risk of being closed due to a lack of liquidity or profitability for the issuer. If this happens during a sharp decline, you will automatically realise the price losses.

4. VanEck Crypto ETF: Invest in Blockchain Innovators

What makes the VanEck Crypto and Blockchain Innovators UCITS ETF (ISIN: IE00BMDKNW35) special is that it is actually a genuine ETF that focuses on 22 different public limited companies.

Unlike many crypto products, which are structured as ETNs or ETPs and carry issuer risk, it invests exclusively in shares of blockchain and crypto companies (e.g. Coinbase, mining companies) without directly holding volatile cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.

This regulation offers higher investor protection standards and an impressive volume of €483 million.

5. Invesco CoinShares Global Blockchain UCITS ETF Acc

The Invesco CoinShares Global Blockchain UCITS ETF Acc (ISIN: IE00BGBN6P67) offers indirect investment in cryptocurrencies, as it invests exclusively in shares of companies that are strongly linked to blockchain and crypto ecosystems.

It physically replicates the CoinShares Blockchain Global Equity Index with 45 positions, including mining companies (e.g. Cipher Mining, IREN Ltd., CleanSpark), exchanges (Coinbase) and semiconductor manufacturers (Taiwan Semiconductor), whose performance is closely correlated with the price movements of cryptocurrencies, without the full price risk of individual assets.

6. iShares Blockchain Technology UCITS ETF USD (Acc) 

The iShares Blockchain Technology UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (ISIN: IE000RDRMSD1) provides cost-effective access to the blockchain sector by physically replicating the NYSE FactSet Global Blockchain Technologies Capped Index, which comprises 39 stocks and has a TER of 0.50% per annum.

It invests in global companies such as Coinbase, MARA Holdings, IBM and Circle Internet Group, which develop, mine or use blockchain technologies.

Hashdex Nasdaq Crypto Index Europe ETP 

If I had to invest in a crypto ETF, I would choose the Hashdex Nasdaq Crypto Index Europe ETP (ISIN: CH1184151731). The reason for this is the strong weighting of Bitcoin (74.6%), followed by Ethereum (13.5%) and Ripple (6.7%). This accumulating product physically replicates the Nasdaq Crypto Index Europe and offers a diversified investment in leading cryptocurrencies.

Although the TER of 1% per annum is slightly higher than for traditional ETFs, this is justified by the complexity of securing the crypto assets and physical replication in a Swiss ETN with a fund volume of around €213 million. All in all, it is a solid product that saves me a lot of effort in terms of individual selection and management.

Best crypto ETF: These are my two favourites

These are currently my two favourites in the crypto sector because they complement each other perfectly and cover different areas of focus. One clearly focuses on the strength of Bitcoin as the leading cryptocurrency, while the other also diversifies the portfolio across several major coins.

1. WisdomTree Physical Bitcoin: For me, this is the basis because it focuses entirely on Bitcoin and thus represents the largest and most established cryptocurrency. Its physical collateralisation and low running costs make it well suited as a core component for long-term crypto exposure.
2. Hashdex Nasdaq Crypto Index Europe ETP: Complements this because, in addition to Bitcoin, it also includes other major projects such as Ethereum and Ripple. The broad diversification within the crypto market ensures that performance is not determined by a single coin, but rather that several established cryptocurrencies together provide stability and additional potential.

When does a crypto ETF make sense?

Before I felt comfortable investing large sums in Bitcoin, I had to thoroughly research cryptocurrencies. The most important points were:

• Understand, secure and never share your private key and seed phrase
• Use cold/hardware wallets for maximum security
• Create multiple secure backups in separate locations

If you don’t have the time or inclination to delve into this topic in such depth, or if you’re afraid of making mistakes that could lead to the loss of your coins, a crypto ETF is the better choice for you. It allows you to easily profit from the growth of cryptocurrencies without any technical hurdles.

Why now could be a good opportunity for crypto ETFs

Bitcoin reached its all-time high at the beginning of October 2025: on 6 October, the price stood at around €107,700, marking the highest value ever recorded in euros.

At the end of November 2025, Bitcoin was trading at around €79,000, roughly a quarter below this peak, representing a decline of around 20%.

At the same time, numerous forecasts predict that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies could trade significantly above current prices in the long term. The possible scenarios are shown in the following table. For example, one Bitcoin could be worth between $238,000 and $610,000 in 2030.

My current portfolio: This is how much money I have invested in cryptocurrencies

When I took my first steps with Bitcoin, I was more curious than convinced. I started with small amounts that I wouldn’t mind losing.

With every major setback, when the headlines proclaimed the demise of Bitcoin, I took another calm look at the figures, the development and the idea behind it, and then bought more. In this way, a few cautious test purchases gradually turned into a real, tangible position, which today, at around €195,000, forms an important part of my assets.

Looking back, it wasn’t so much the ‘perfect entry point’ as the many small decisions made during poor market phases that gradually built up my Bitcoin holdings and showed me how important discipline and patience really are when investing.

Why Bitcoin is the heavyweight in my crypto portfolio

With Bitcoin dominating 58% of the crypto market, I believe it makes sense to make your first investments in Bitcoin before buying other coins.

Bitcoins form the core of the crypto market and thus represent the largest share of the total market capitalisation, liquidity and attention of the market, while many other coins and thematic crypto products are significantly more speculative and often depend on short-term trends that can quickly disappear again.

Bitcoin has established itself as the ‘base asset’ in the crypto sector for more than a decade, is technically relatively easy to understand, is the focus of institutional investors and is therefore well suited as a first building block from a risk/return perspective before venturing into smaller and more complex projects.

• Market strength: Bitcoin dominates the crypto market with the largest share of total market capitalisation and thus often sets the pace for upward and downward phases.
• Liquidity: Due to the high trading volume, positions in Bitcoin are usually easier to enter and exit than in smaller altcoins with sometimes thin order books.
• Establishment: Bitcoin is the oldest cryptocurrency, has the longest track record and enjoys the highest level of awareness among private investors, institutions and regulators.
• Risk-return profile: Although Bitcoin fluctuates significantly, many smaller coins are even more volatile and subject to additional project risks, making it a relatively conservative crypto bet.
• Entry and diversification: Those new to crypto investing can gain experience by focusing solely on Bitcoin at first and then gradually diversify into other projects or specialised products.

If you would also like to trade crypto ETFs, you first need a securities account. An account with Freedom24 is ideal for this, as you can trade such ETFs at low cost here. You can also benefit from the current welcome bonus for new customers, who can start with additional free shares worth more than €500 (median value).

93/100

Points

Up to 20 free shares (until 28.02.2026)

15 trading venues, 1,500+ ETFs, 40,000+ shares

Median of €79 - €529 of free shares (until 28.02.2026)

REDEEM BONUS*

Conclusion: ETFs or crypto? With crypto ETFs, you get the best of both worlds.

Crypto ETFs are a good option if you want to participate in the development of Bitcoin, Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies without having to worry about wallets, exchange accounts and security yourself.

Instead of picking individual coins, an ETF on cryptocurrencies or blockchain stocks gives you a bundled building block that you can hold in your portfolio like any other fund or save for via a savings plan.

This is particularly exciting if you see crypto as a small, promising addition to your existing ETF portfolio, for example via a specialised fund such as the VanEck Crypto and Blockchain Innovators UCITS ETF, which focuses on companies in the crypto market.
This means you don’t have to choose between ETFs and crypto, but can combine both and manage your risk more consciously.

Frequently asked questions and answers about crypto ETFs: