ING Deutschland now allows its retail brokerage customers to invest directly in crypto exchange-traded notes (ETNs) listed on regulated European exchanges. The move gives everyday investors in Germany exposure to major cryptocurrencies without having to open a wallet or use a crypto exchange.
Clients with a standard “Direkt-Depot” at ING in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium can buy a small set of crypto ETNs through their normal securities account. Access is “execution only,” meaning ING executes the trade but does not provide individual investment advice on these products.
Which Crypto ETNs Are Available
According to ING and industry reports, the bank currently offers five main products tied to leading digital assets. These are four ETNs from WisdomTree and one ETP from BlackRock that track Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP, with Bitcoin covered by two separate products.
The ETNs trade on regulated exchanges such as Xetra and other European venues where a growing range of crypto ETNs is already listed.
Because the products are exchange-traded notes, investors gain price exposure to the underlying coins, while ING and the issuers handle custody and operational details.
How ING Screens And Informs Retail Investors
ING says it wants to “take responsibility” for how its customers enter the crypto market. Before buying, retail clients must complete a mandatory knowledge test assessing their understanding of risks related to volatility, loss of capital, and product structure.
Only customers who pass this appropriateness check can trade the crypto ETNs through their brokerage account. The bank emphasizes that these products are part of a diversified portfolio and reminds clients that they are not risk-free, even if they sit in a familiar securities wrapper.
Germany’s main exchanges have steadily expanded their crypto ETN lineups in recent years, covering more single coins and baskets. By opening retail access through a large player like ING, those listed products become easier for mainstream savers to use, who already trust their bank’s platform.
Analysts see ING’s move as part of a wider European trend in which regulated banks and brokers offer crypto exposure through exchange-traded products rather than through unregulated trading apps. For German retail investors, it marks another step toward treating crypto as a standard, though still high-risk, asset class inside traditional investment accounts.
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