Valour, a subsidiary of Nasdaq-listed DeFi Technologies, has received regulatory approval from the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to offer high-yield cryptocurrency exchange-traded products to retail investors through the London Stock Exchange (LSE).
Valor has previously launched products on the LSE for professional investors. It has an asset-backed Ethereum physical staking ETP for professional investors and also reportedly holds the record for the world’s first physically backed Bitcoin staking ETP.
What products does Valor offer to UK retail investors?
approvalThe scheme, which comes into effect on January 26, will give retail investors in the UK access to two physically backed staking products: 1Valour Bitcoin Physical Saking ETP and 1Valour Ethereum Physical Saking ETP.
Both products incorporate staking yield into net asset value, allowing investors to benefit from blockchain validation rewards through traditional brokerage accounts.
“This is a major milestone for Valor and DeFi Technologies as we continue to expand access to regulated digital asset investment products,” said Johan Wattenström, CEO and Chairman of DeFi Technologies. “The UK is one of the most important financial markets in the world and this approval expands our ability to offer transparent exchange-listed products to retail investors in the UK.”
Regulatory changes allow product launch
This launch was made pursuant to a decision by the FCA. October 2025 Lifting the ban on retail access to virtual currency ETFs that had been in place since January 2021. The original ban was imposed due to concerns about extreme price volatility and inadequate investor protection in the nascent cryptocurrency market.
The revised framework, which will allow retail sales from October 20, 2025, requires products to be limited to Bitcoin or Ether and to store crypto assets in physically backed, cold storage with regulated custodians.
From 6 April 2026, crypto ETPs will be reclassified from Stocks and Shares Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) to Innovative Finance ISAs in the UK.
However, these products are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, leaving investors exposed to issuer and market risk.
UK authorities plan to introduce a comprehensive crypto regulatory regime by October 25, 2027, which could further standardize oversight and expand the range of permissible products and services.
While the immediate focus is on Bitcoin and Ethereum products, some believe regulations will evolve to accommodate additional digital assets over time, provided they meet strict governance, transparency and investor protection standards.
