Societe Generale Partners With 21Shares To Enhance European Crypto ETP Access
Societe Generale announced a partnership with cryptocurrency asset manager 21Shares to provide liquidity for Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange-traded products across European markets. According to Cointelegraph, the world's 19th-largest banking conglomerate by assets will offer market-making services for 21Shares' crypto ETPs in Germany and Eastern Europe.
The European banking giant will provide over-the-counter liquidity to support trading of 21Shares' Bitcoin and Ether ETPs. These include the ABTC, CBTC, AETH and CETH funds, 21Shares announced on Wednesday. Societe Generale holds over $1.7 trillion in total assets as of 2023.
The partnership will operate through key fund platforms in Germany and Eastern Europe. These platforms serve as infrastructure for institutional trading and are typically operated by major financial institutions.
Why This Partnership Matters
The collaboration addresses liquidity challenges that have limited institutional access to crypto ETPs in European markets. Enhanced liquidity and improved execution quality will make these investment vehicles more accessible to professional investors across the target regions.
European crypto ETP markets have experienced sustained growth in 2025. Cointribune reports that crypto ETPs attracted $17.8 billion in inflows during the first half of 2025. This figure represents just 2.7% less than the $18.3 billion seen in the same period of 2024.
BlackRock led globally with $17 billion in inflows, capturing 96% of total crypto ETP investment in early 2025. Bitcoin retained its position as the primary asset of interest, accounting for 83% of weekly inflows during recent periods. The consistent demand demonstrates institutional appetite for regulated crypto exposure continues growing.
Industry Implications
This partnership represents part of a broader trend toward institutional crypto adoption across Europe. The European crypto ETP market currently commands over $13 billion in net assets, with more than 160 products trading on European exchanges.
According to ETF Stream, European crypto ETP assets under management have grown from $600 million to $16 billion since 2020. The market benefits from clearer regulatory frameworks compared to other regions, particularly following the implementation of the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation framework.
Specialist crypto-native firms currently dominate the European market, unlike in the US where established managers gather most assets. This creates opportunities for partnerships between traditional financial institutions and crypto specialists. As we reported, StarkWare created a Bitcoin reserve while expanding Starknet's Bitcoin capabilities in March, showing how crypto companies continue building institutional treasury strategies.
The Societe Generale partnership continues the bank's blockchain exploration initiatives. In September 2024, its blockchain subsidiary partnered with Bitpanda to advance adoption of its euro-denominated stablecoin. Traditional banks are increasingly recognizing crypto ETPs as compliant vehicles for institutional investors seeking digital asset exposure.
