Denmark’s Largest Bank Adds Bitcoin, Ethereum ETPs, But Warns Of ‘High Risk’

bitcoinistPublished on 2026-02-12Last updated on 2026-02-12

Abstract

Denmark's largest bank, Danske Bank, has begun offering Bitcoin and Ethereum Exchange-Traded Products (ETPs) to its customers in response to growing demand. However, the bank explicitly warns that these are "high risk" opportunistic investments and does not endorse or provide advisory services for them. Customers gain indirect exposure to crypto via ETPs without directly handling assets. This move marks a shift from the bank's previous stance against crypto. Separately, Danske Bank is part of a consortium of European banks developing a euro-pegged stablecoin, set for a potential 2026 launch. At the time of writing, Bitcoin's price was around $66,700.

Danske Bank has started offering Bitcoin and Ethereum ETPs to customers for the first time, but the bank still doesn’t endorse crypto assets.

Danske Bank Now Offers Bitcoin & Ethereum ETPs

As announced in a press release, Danske Bank’s customers can now invest in some exchange-traded products (ETPs) tracking the two largest cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin and Ethereum.

The bank said that the new option is a response to increasing user demand for digital assets and improved regulation related to the sector. Kerstin Lysholm, head of investment products & offering at Danske Bank, noted:

As cryptocurrencies have become a more common asset class, we are receiving an increasing number of enquiries from customers wanting the option of investing in cryptocurrencies as part of their investment portfolio.

Headquartered in Copenhagen, Danske Bank is the largest bank in Denmark with 3.75 trillion DKK (around $596 billion) in assets. Previously, the bank took a stalwart stance against offering cryptocurrency trading, but the latest move suggests it’s finally opening up to the market.

Though, Danske Bank still doesn’t offer advisory services for digital assets, labelling them as “opportunistic investments” rather than part of a long-term portfolio strategy. The addition of the new Bitcoin and Ethereum investment option is geared at investors who use the firm’s trading platform without receiving any investment advice, the bank said.

Investors using the option will gain exposure to the cryptocurrencies not by direct holding, but via ETPs, investment vehicles that allow for indirect exposure. This means that traders won’t have to engage with blockchain components like wallets and exchanges.

Lysholm emphasized that access to digital asset ETPs on the company’s trading platform shouldn’t be taken as a recommendation of cryptocurrencies from Danske Bank. The bank warned that the asset class involves “high risk” and may result in large losses.

The move to allow Bitcoin and Ethereum ETPs isn’t the only one related to the cryptocurrency sector that Danske Bank has made recently. In September, the bank joined hands with eight other major European banks to develop a shared euro-pegged stablecoin.

Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies that have their price pegged to a fiat currency. Currently, the space is heavily dominated by the USD-based tokens, and the consortium of Danske Bank and other European banks plans to challenge this hegemony.

The ten largest stablecoins by market cap are all coins tied to the USD | Source: CoinMarketCap

Since the initial announcement, the consortium has gradually added more members, now involving a total of twelve European financial institutions. The banks have set up a company called Qivalis in Amsterdam to handle the issuance of the stablecoin.

While the exact launch date of the token is unknown, the consortium has said it aims to make a commercial release in the second half of 2026.

BTC Price

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is floating around $66,700, down more than 8% in the last seven days.

The price of the coin seems to have plunged over the last few days | Source: BTCUSDT on TradingView

Related Questions

QWhat is Danske Bank's stance on cryptocurrency assets despite offering Bitcoin and Ethereum ETPs?

ADanske Bank does not endorse crypto assets and labels them as 'opportunistic investments' with 'high risk', warning that they may result in large losses.

QHow are Danske Bank customers gaining exposure to Bitcoin and Ethereum through the new offering?

ACustomers gain exposure indirectly via Exchange-Traded Products (ETPs), not through direct holdings, avoiding the need to engage with blockchain components like wallets and exchanges.

QWhat recent initiative has Danske Bank joined related to the cryptocurrency sector besides offering ETPs?

ADanske Bank has joined a consortium of European banks to develop a euro-pegged stablecoin, aiming to challenge the dominance of USD-based stablecoins.

QWhat is the name of the company set up by the consortium of European banks to handle the issuance of their planned stablecoin?

AThe consortium has set up a company called Qivalis in Amsterdam to handle the issuance of the euro-pegged stablecoin.

QWhat was the approximate price of Bitcoin and its weekly performance at the time the article was written?

AAt the time of writing, Bitcoin was floating around $66,700, down more than 8% in the last seven days.

Related Reads

Who Will Take Over After SpaceX's IPO?

SpaceX is set to go public on June 12 with a $1.8 trillion valuation, but only about 5.56 billion shares (4.2% of the total) will be initially available for trading. Buy-side pressure is expected in three distinct waves. First, the IPO subscription at a fixed $135 per share, which is oversubscribed by nearly 4 times. Second, immediate secondary market trading post-listing. Third, and most significant, the forced buying by passive index funds. The Nasdaq 100 index has modified its rules to include SpaceX just 15 trading days after its IPO, despite its small float, which will compel hundreds of tracking funds to buy large quantities of stock. However, this initial supply shortage will not last. A staged lock-up release is designed for the approximately 54% of shares held by VCs, early employees, and other insiders (excluding Elon Musk's 42%, which is locked for 366 days). Releases begin after the Q2 earnings report, with subsequent unlocks at multiple intervals up to 180 days post-IPO. This means selling pressure from insiders will gradually increase throughout the latter half of the year. A key counterbalance is scheduled for mid-December during the Nasdaq 100's annual rebalancing. By then, the public float will have expanded significantly, forcing index funds to buy more shares, potentially providing institutional support after months of insider selling.

marsbit26m ago

Who Will Take Over After SpaceX's IPO?

marsbit26m ago

Anthropic Apologized, But the Business of 'Safety' Hasn't Stopped

On June 11, Anthropic apologized not for a model failure, but for a lack of transparency. Its new Claude Fable 5 model was found to be secretly rerouting requests from users engaged in advanced AI model development to a weaker version, Opus 4.8, without any notification. The company's response—promising future notifications for such "downgrades"—was met with user skepticism. The article argues the core issue isn't technical but commercial: Anthropic's "safety" measures are primarily a business strategy. A key feature, the "intelligent safety classifier," marketed as user protection, is described as a tool for "competitive defense" to protect Anthropic's market lead by limiting rivals' research capabilities. This covert mechanism was designed for low "false positives," precisely targeting AI researchers. Anthropic's model involves a calculated three-step process: publishing alarming security research to amplify public anxiety, offering its Fable 5 model with a "safety classifier" as a premium-priced solution, and cashing in through a planned high-value IPO. This contrasts with OpenAI's more direct "tool-and-traffic" approach. The apology, merely changing a secret downgrade to a visible one, is seen as a business "patch" rather than a principled shift. The incident risks damaging Anthropic's "safest AI" reputation among the developer community, which underpins its valuation and appeal to government and corporate clients. Ultimately, the article concludes that for Anthropic, safety is a business, and the apology is merely customer service for that business.

marsbit46m ago

Anthropic Apologized, But the Business of 'Safety' Hasn't Stopped

marsbit46m ago

The Niche Consensus Among Elites: Has College Become an Expensive Waste?

**Summary:** A growing "anti-college" movement is gaining traction among elite circles in Silicon Valley, challenging the traditional value of a four-year university degree. Proponents argue that college has become an expensive, slow, and increasingly irrelevant waste of time, especially in the fast-paced tech world where opportunities pass by quickly. The movement is led by figures like billionaire Peter Thiel, who criticizes universities for high costs, ideological indoctrination, and stifling true innovation. His "Thiel Fellowship" pays young people to drop out and pursue ventures. Companies like Palantir Technologies (co-founded by Thiel) fuel this trend with programs like the "Meritocracy Fellowship," which offers high school graduates paid internships as an alternative to immediate college enrollment, promising a practical "Palantir Degree." Key drivers include: 1. **Economics:** Skyrocketing student debt versus the allure of immediate, high-paying tech jobs or startup funding. 2. **Technology:** AI and online tools lowering barriers to self-education and product development, making formal instruction seem inefficient. 3. **Culture:** A backlash against perceived "woke" ideology and DEI policies in universities, coupled with a belief that these institutions suppress meritocracy and masculine drive. The movement is notably male-dominated. Critics, like economist David Deming, warn against overgeneralizing from dropout success stories (survivorship bias). He emphasizes that genuine autodidacts are rare, corporate training is narrowly focused, and the "college wage premium" remains high for most people. University liberal arts education, he argues, builds adaptable problem-solving skills and broad perspectives. The debate highlights a deeper crisis in education. The core model of the modern university appears increasingly mismatched with the speed of the information age. The movement signals a shift in the locus of learning from institutional "education" to personal, active "learning" powered by the internet and AI. Ultimately, this may not mean the end of university, but rather a painful evolution. The future likely holds more hybrid, personalized, and lifelong learning pathways. The central question becomes: in a world changing faster than any curriculum, how do we best learn?

marsbit1h ago

The Niche Consensus Among Elites: Has College Become an Expensive Waste?

marsbit1h ago

From Subsidies to Token-Based Pricing to Price Cuts: Is OpenAI Sparking a Price War? Is the Inflection Point for Token Economics Nearing?

The commercialization of generative AI is facing a critical inflection point as a potential price war looms. According to The Wall Street Journal, OpenAI is considering a significant cut to its token fees to compete with rival Anthropic, signaling a shift from a growth-at-all-costs model focused on token consumption. This move comes as both companies, reportedly losing billions on compute, prepare for IPOs, and as enterprise customers face "bill shock" from switching to usage-based token billing. Reports indicate poor ROI, with one analysis finding only 18 cents of every dollar spent on AI tokens generates user-facing value. The industry's initial phases—from flat-rate subscriptions to aggressive subsidies—have given way to a reckoning with real costs. Analysts debate the future: some predict a bifurcation between premium, high-cost models for complex tasks and cheaper alternatives for routine work, while others believe overall spending will still rise as agentic AI increases tokens per task. Notably, Chinese model DeepSeek's low-cost API is gaining traction with U.S. enterprises, adding competitive pressure. The core challenge is redefining value beyond token volume ("tokenmaxxing") toward measurable productivity ("valuemaxxing"), as the entire AI value chain, from cloud providers to chipmakers, feels the ripple effects of unsustainable pricing.

marsbit1h ago

From Subsidies to Token-Based Pricing to Price Cuts: Is OpenAI Sparking a Price War? Is the Inflection Point for Token Economics Nearing?

marsbit1h ago

The Bitcoin 400-Day Cycle: Historical Performance Shows How Low The Bottom Goes

A crypto analyst forecasts a continued Bitcoin bear market, predicting a potential price bottom around October 2026 based on a historical 400-day cycle pattern. The analysis suggests Bitcoin is currently 252 days into a bear phase that typically lasts 364-400 days, indicating another 112-148 days of downward pressure. The projected cycle low could be around $30,000, representing a more than 75% decline from recent all-time highs near $126,000. The analyst dismisses arguments that current market factors like ETFs make this cycle different, noting the pattern has held for over a decade. Another expert aligns, forecasting a bottom between $30,000-$40,000 by late Q3 or early Q4 2026 and rejecting the possibility of Bitcoin reaching $100,000 this year.

bitcoinist1h ago

The Bitcoin 400-Day Cycle: Historical Performance Shows How Low The Bottom Goes

bitcoinist1h ago

Trading

Spot
Futures

Hot Articles

What is $BITCOIN

DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN): A Comprehensive Analysis Introduction to DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) is a blockchain-based project operating on the Solana network, which aims to combine the characteristics of traditional precious metals with the innovation of decentralized technologies. While it shares a name with Bitcoin, often referred to as “digital gold” due to its perception as a store of value, DIGITAL GOLD is a separate token designed to create a unique ecosystem within the Web3 landscape. Its goal is to position itself as a viable alternative digital asset, although specifics regarding its applications and functionalities are still developing. What is DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN)? DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) is a cryptocurrency token explicitly designed for use on the Solana blockchain. In contrast to Bitcoin, which provides a widely recognized value storage role, this token appears to focus on broader applications and characteristics. Notable aspects include: Blockchain Infrastructure: The token is built on the Solana blockchain, known for its capacity to handle high-speed and low-cost transactions. Supply Dynamics: DIGITAL GOLD has a maximum supply capped at 100 quadrillion tokens (100P $BITCOIN), although details regarding its circulating supply are currently undisclosed. Utility: While precise functionalities are not explicitly outlined, there are indications that the token could be utilized for various applications, potentially involving decentralized applications (dApps) or asset tokenization strategies. Who is the Creator of DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN)? At present, the identity of the creators and development team behind DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) remains unknown. This situation is typical among many innovative projects within the blockchain space, particularly those aligning with decentralized finance and meme coin phenomena. While such anonymity may foster a community-driven culture, it intensifies concerns about governance and accountability. Who are the Investors of DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN)? The available information indicates that DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) does not have any known institutional backers or prominent venture capital investments. The project seems to operate on a peer-to-peer model focused on community support and adoption rather than traditional funding routes. Its activity and liquidity are primarily situated on decentralized exchanges (DEXs), such as PumpSwap, rather than established centralized trading platforms, further highlighting its grassroots approach. How DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) Works The operational mechanics of DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) can be elaborated on based on its blockchain design and network attributes: Consensus Mechanism: By leveraging Solana’s unique proof-of-history (PoH) combined with a proof-of-stake (PoS) model, the project ensures efficient transaction validation contributing to the network's high performance. Tokenomics: While specific deflationary mechanisms have not been extensively detailed, the vast maximum token supply implies that it may cater to microtransactions or niche use cases that are still to be defined. Interoperability: There exists the potential for integration with Solana’s broader ecosystem, including various decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms. However, the details regarding specific integrations remain unspecified. Timeline of Key Events Here is a timeline that highlights significant milestones concerning DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN): 2023: The initial deployment of the token occurs on the Solana blockchain, marked by its contract address. 2024: DIGITAL GOLD gains visibility as it becomes available for trading on decentralized exchanges like PumpSwap, allowing users to trade it against SOL. 2025: The project witnesses sporadic trading activity and potential interest in community-led engagements, although no noteworthy partnerships or technical advancements have been documented as of yet. Critical Analysis Strengths Scalability: The underlying Solana infrastructure supports high transaction volumes, which could enhance the utility of $BITCOIN in various transaction scenarios. Accessibility: The potential low trading price per token could attract retail investors, facilitating wider participation due to fractional ownership opportunities. Risks Lack of Transparency: The absence of publicly known backers, developers, or an audit process may yield skepticism regarding the project's sustainability and trustworthiness. Market Volatility: The trading activity is heavily reliant on speculative behavior, which can result in significant price volatility and uncertainty for investors. Conclusion DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) emerges as an intriguing yet ambiguous project within the rapidly evolving Solana ecosystem. While it attempts to leverage the “digital gold” narrative, its departure from Bitcoin's established role as a store of value underscores the need for a clearer differentiation of its intended utility and governance structure. Future acceptance and adoption will likely depend on addressing the current opacity and defining its operational and economic strategies more explicitly. Note: This report encompasses synthesised information available as of October 2023, and developments may have transpired beyond the research period.

363 Total ViewsPublished 2025.05.13Updated 2025.05.13

What is $BITCOIN

Discussions

Welcome to the HTX Community. Here, you can stay informed about the latest platform developments and gain access to professional market insights. Users' opinions on the price of BTC (BTC) are presented below.

活动图片

Top Questions

Hot Categoriesright-arrow

Hot Tagsright-arrow