Valour, the UK arm of DeFi Technologies, has begun offering retail investors access to yield-bearing crypto exchange-traded products on the London Stock Exchange, marking a significant expansion following regulatory changes and increased market activity.
Valour, the UK arm of DeFi Technologies, has begun offering retail investors exposure to yield-bearing crypto exchange-traded products on the London Stock Exchange after securing approval from the Financial Conduct Authority and the exchange itself. According to a company statement, the listings , 1Valour Bitcoin Physical Staking and 1Valour Ethereum Physical Staking , started trading on 26 January 2026.
“The UK is one of the world’s most important financial markets, and these approvals broaden our ability to serve UK retail investors with transparent, exchange-listed products that provide straightforward exposure to the evolving digital asset economy,” said Johan Wattenström, DeFi Technologies chairman and CEO.
The retail launch follows earlier London listings last year that had been available only to professional and institutional investors. In September 2025 Valour debuted a Bitcoin staking ETP on the LSE that offered an announced approximate 1.4% annual staking yield and was backed one-for-one by Bitcoin held in cold storage by regulated custodians. The company has described the newly approved products as similarly asset-backed and yield-bearing; DeFi Technologies characterised the move as expanding regulated access to digital assets through traditional brokerage accounts.
The timing reflects a shift in the UK regulatory landscape. The FCA lifted its restriction on retail crypto exchange-traded products in October 2025, clearing the way for managers to propose retail-facing ETPs. Industry observers and asset managers, including larger firms that already offer crypto ETPs and ETFs, have since advanced product launches to capture demand from mainstream investors.
Market data cited by the London Stock Exchange show its ETP market is sizable, with more than 50 issuers listing over 2,300 products and notable crypto ETP trading activity recorded in recent months. At the same time, flows into crypto ETPs have been volatile: research firm CoinShares reported more than $1.7 billion of outflows in a single week late in January, reversing a prior week of heavy inflows, a trend its head of research attributed to changing interest-rate expectations and weak price momentum in digital assets.
Valour’s expansion into the UK builds on prior geographic moves. The firm launched a Solana-linked ETP on Brazil’s main exchange in December, signalling a broader strategy of offering regulated, exchange-listed exposure to a range of cryptocurrencies in multiple jurisdictions. DeFi Technologies and Valour have framed these products as a bridge between traditional finance and decentralised finance, though their public communications emphasise that investors should consider regulatory, market and custody risks associated with crypto staking and ETP structures.
Industry participants caution that yield-bearing crypto products combine exposure to underlying token price movements with the specific operational risks of staking, including validator performance and custodian arrangements. The earlier London-listed professional products specified custody by regulated providers; Valour’s announcements continue to highlight custodial safeguards without independent verification of operational details beyond those statements.
As retail access opens, the London listings add to a competitive field of crypto exchange-traded products and funds offered by established asset managers and specialist issuers. The development underscores both growing institutionalisation of digital-asset investment vehicles and persistent market uncertainty that has driven large, rapid flows in and out of products in recent weeks.
- https://cointelegraph.com/news/defi-technologies-valour-uk-fca-approval-etps-btc-eth?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_partner_inbound – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.valour.com/en/newsroom/valour-receives-uk-regulatory-approval-and-begins-offering-select-yield-bearing-crypto-etps-to-uk-retail-investors-via-the-london-stock-exchange – Valour, a subsidiary of DeFi Technologies, has received approval from the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE) to offer exchange-traded products (ETPs) to UK retail investors. Starting January 26, 2026, Valour began trading the 1Valour Bitcoin Physical Staking and 1Valour Ethereum Physical Staking ETPs on the LSE. These products provide UK retail investors with transparent, exchange-listed exposure to the evolving digital asset economy, marking a significant milestone in Valour’s expansion into the UK market.
- https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/01/26/3225543/0/en/DeFi-Technologies-Announces-Valour-Receives-UK-Regulatory-Approval-and-Begins-Offering-Select-Yield-Bearing-Crypto-ETPs-to-UK-Retail-Investors-via-the-London-Stock-Exchange.html – DeFi Technologies announced that its subsidiary, Valour, has received UK regulatory approval and commenced offering select yield-bearing crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) to UK retail investors via the London Stock Exchange. The approved products include 1Valour Bitcoin Physical Staking and 1Valour Ethereum Physical Staking, providing UK retail investors with regulated exposure to digital assets through traditional brokerage accounts. This development follows the FCA’s lifting of the ban on crypto ETPs for retail investors in October 2025.
- https://blockworks.co/news/valour-launches-bitcoin-staking-etp – Valour Digital Securities, a subsidiary of DeFi Technologies, has launched its Bitcoin Physical Staking exchange-traded product (ETP) on the London Stock Exchange. The product offers professional and institutional investors exposure to Bitcoin with an additional 1.4% annual staking yield. Each share is backed 1:1 with Bitcoin held in cold storage by Copper, a regulated custodian. Access to the new London-listed ETP is currently limited to professional investors under UK regulations, with retail access expected to open on October 8 under new Financial Conduct Authority rules.
- https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2025/09/19/valour-debuts-bitcoin-staking-etp-on-london-stock-exchange-in-move-outside-mainland-europe – Valour Digital Securities, a subsidiary of DeFi Technologies, has debuted its Bitcoin staking exchange-traded product (ETP) on the London Stock Exchange, expanding its reach beyond mainland Europe. The 1Valour Bitcoin Physical Staking (1VBS) product offers professional and institutional investors exposure to Bitcoin with an additional 1.4% annual staking yield. Each share is backed 1:1 with Bitcoin held in cold storage by Copper. Access to the new London-listed ETP is currently limited to professional investors under UK regulations, with retail access expected to open on October 8 under new Financial Conduct Authority rules.
- https://www.mexc.co/en-IN/news/570422 – Valour has received approval from the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE) to offer exchange-traded products (ETPs) to UK retail investors. Starting January 26, 2026, Valour began trading the 1Valour Bitcoin Physical Staking and 1Valour Ethereum Physical Staking ETPs on the LSE. These products provide UK retail investors with transparent, exchange-listed exposure to the evolving digital asset economy, marking a significant milestone in Valour’s expansion into the UK market.
- https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/defi-technologies-subsidiary-valour-launches-asset-backed-ethereum-physical-staking-etp-for-professional-investors-on-the-london-stock-exchange-302261979.html – Valour Digital Securities, a subsidiary of DeFi Technologies, has launched its asset-backed Ethereum Physical Staking exchange-traded product (ETP) on the London Stock Exchange. The product offers professional investors direct exposure to Ethereum and staking rewards, with the underlying assets held in cold storage by regulated custodians. This launch highlights Valour’s role in bridging the gap between traditional finance and decentralized finance, enabling institutional and professional investors in the United Kingdom to gain exposure through their traditional investment accounts.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The article reports on Valour’s recent approval from the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE) to offer yield-bearing crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) to UK retail investors, with trading commencing on 26 January 2026. This is the earliest known publication date for this specific development, indicating high freshness. ([valour.com](https://www.valour.com/en/newsroom/valour-receives-uk-regulatory-approval-and-begins-offering-select-yield-bearing-crypto-etps-to-uk-retail-investors-via-the-london-stock-exchange?utm_source=openai))
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article includes a direct quote from Johan Wattenström, CEO and Chairman of DeFi Technologies: “The UK is one of the world’s most important financial markets, and these approvals broaden our ability to serve UK retail investors with transparent, exchange-listed products that provide straightforward exposure to the evolving digital asset economy.” A search for this quote reveals it is used in multiple sources, including Valour’s official press release. ([valour.com](https://www.valour.com/en/newsroom/valour-receives-uk-regulatory-approval-and-begins-offering-select-yield-bearing-crypto-etps-to-uk-retail-investors-via-the-london-stock-exchange?utm_source=openai)) While the quote is consistent across sources, its repetition across multiple platforms suggests it may be part of a press release, which typically warrants a lower score due to potential lack of independent verification.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The article originates from Cointelegraph, a reputable news outlet in the cryptocurrency space. However, the content is based on Valour’s press release, which may lead to a lack of independent verification.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims made in the article align with known industry trends and recent regulatory changes in the UK, such as the FCA lifting restrictions on retail crypto ETPs in October 2025. ([wisdomtree.com](https://www.wisdomtree.com/-/media/eu-media-files/other-documents/faq/uk-crypto-retail-faq.pdf?utm_source=openai)) The timing of Valour’s product launch is consistent with these developments, suggesting high plausibility.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article provides timely information on Valour’s recent regulatory approval and product launch, with the earliest known publication date matching the reported events. However, the reliance on Valour’s press release for key information raises concerns about the independence of the verification sources. While the content is plausible and aligns with industry trends, the lack of independent verification suggests a medium level of confidence in the overall assessment.