French banking giant BNP Paribas is expanding access to cryptocurrency for its retail clients in France by launching six crypto-linked exchange-traded notes (ETNs). The new products, linked to Bitcoin and Ether, will be available from Monday through standard securities accounts. This move is part of the bank’s broader digital asset strategy, which includes previous blockchain-based bond issuances and fund tokenization projects.
BNP Paribas is expanding its investment offering to include six crypto-linked exchange-traded notes, giving retail clients in France access to Bitcoin and Ether exposure through regulated products. The new ETNs, indexed to the price of Bitcoin and Ether, will be available from Monday via standard securities accounts, according to the company. The products are open to individual investors, entrepreneurs, private banking clients and users of the bank’s digital platform, Hello bank!.
Unlike direct crypto purchases, ETNs allow investors to track the performance of digital assets without holding them. The rollout may later extend to wealth management clients outside France.
The move builds on the French bank’s broader digital asset efforts. In 2024, BNP Paribas arranged and placed Slovenia’s first digital sovereign bond, marking the European Union’s debut issuance of a blockchain-based government bond.
In September last year, BNP Paribas and HSBC joined the Canton Foundation, which governs the Canton Network. Prior to this, BNP Paribas joined Goldman Sachs and Citadel in backing Digital Asset’s $135 million funding round.
Last month, BNP Paribas Asset Management also launched a tokenized share class of a money market fund on the Ethereum blockchain. This expands its push into fund tokenization using public infrastructure.
Adoption of crypto-linked ETNs is expanding across Europe, with ING Germany adding new products from Bitwise and VanEck to its investment offering. Crypto ETNs also returned to the UK retail market in October 2025 after the Financial Conduct Authority reversed a ban imposed in 2021.
