ING Deutschland rolled out roughly 50 crypto-linked exchange traded products (ETPs) and exchange traded notes (ETNs) from providers including Bitwise and VanEck, integrating them into its standard securities accounts. The move embeds physically backed Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and a range of altcoin and index exposures into familiar depot structures, lowering technical barriers for retail investors.
ING expanded its digital-asset offering by adding exchange-traded products from Bitwise and VanEck to an existing lineup that already includes 21Shares, WisdomTree, and BlackRock’s iShares. These instruments are listed on regulated venues such as Deutsche Börse Group’s Xetra, giving investors exposure to major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana, as well as other tokens cited in the launch documentation, including Algorand, Avalanche, Chainlink, Polkadot, and Polygon, without the need to manage private keys.
In total, the platform now offers around 50 ETPs and ETNs, spanning both single-asset products and diversified strategies. The instruments are physically backed and traded on regulated European exchanges, positioning them as a compliant and familiar access point for investors seeking crypto exposure through traditional market infrastructure.
From a cost and execution perspective, trades above €1,000 are commission-free, while transactions below that threshold carry a €3.90 fee. The bank also offers savings-plan accumulation for these products without transaction fees, allowing investors to build positions gradually and at low cost.
The products are treated for tax purposes in line with direct cryptocurrency holdings in Germany, including potential capital-gains treatment for assets held longer than one year.
Commenting on the launch, VanEck Europe CEO Martijn Rozemuller said the initiative provides particularly low-threshold access to crypto investments via exchange-traded products, emphasizing the convenience of integrating crypto exposure into existing portfolio and custody structures with transparent pricing.
ING strategy risk and impact in altcoins market
ING framed the launch as both a customer-access initiative and a revenue diversification play. CEO Steven van Rijswijk has tied such commercial expansion to targets for stronger fee income and return on equity, with the group aiming for ROE above 14% in 2026 and above 15% in 2027.
ING’s disclosures flagged extreme price volatility, issuer insolvency risk, liquidity constraints and the potential for market manipulation. Observers also noted that the Markets in Crypto‑Assets Regulation (MiCA) is in its implementation phase and was updated on Jan. 30, ongoing technical standardisation will influence product design and distribution.
Dr. Elena Schmidt of the European Banking Institute described the move as pragmatic for legacy banks navigating client demand and rules. Others questioned whether the rollout will attract new capital into crypto or simply repackage existing exposures. “The critical question is whether ING’s channel will bring investors who were previously on the sidelines, or merely shift allocations within the ecosystem,” one industry analysis argued.
Market participants will be watching retail flows into these ETPs/ETNs and the pace of similar launches by peers, and regulators’ final technical standards under MiCA will shape the structural capacity for banks to scale such offerings without regulatory overhang.
