Following the launch of U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds in January 2024, UK retail investors may be wondering if they can now gain access to such products. 

The short answer to this question is no. However, this article aims to shed light on the current landscape for UK investors looking to gain exposure to bitcoin through investment vehicles, leveraging insights from recent developments and regulatory perspectives.

What is a spot Bitcoin ETF?

Before delving into the specifics of UK investors' accessibility to U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs, it's essential to understand what these financial instruments are. Spot Bitcoin ETFs are investment vehicles designed to track the price of bitcoin directly and are traded on traditional stock exchanges.

Unlike futures-based ETFs, spot …