ING Germany opens investment channels for retail investors in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana ETPs

Germany's major retail bank ING Deutschland has opened up investment channels for cryptocurrency-related exchange-traded notes (ETN/ETP) to retail customers, allowing investments in crypto assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana through its Direct Depot platform.

ING stated that the aforementioned products are physically-backed instruments issued by institutions such as 21Shares, Bitwise, and VanEck, traded on regulated exchanges, allowing customers to gain exposure to crypto assets without having to manage wallets or private keys themselves. ING also cautioned that these products still face factors such as price volatility, issuer risk, liquidity, and regulatory uncertainty. The bank pointed out that in Germany, the tax treatment of these ETNs is similar to that of directly holding crypto assets, with potential capital gains tax exemptions after holding for more than a year.