Bitcoin Trading at Banks on the Rise – XRP-ETFs Break Records

German Banks Expand Bitcoin Offerings

Trading Bitcoin through traditional banks is increasingly gaining importance in Germany. More and more institutions are integrating digital assets into their systems, with offerings varying significantly ^[1]. While some institutions already offer comprehensive solutions, others are still building their own structures or initially relying on external service providers ^[1].

For investors, the question becomes ever more relevant which banks enable direct access to Bitcoin and how the various offerings differ in terms of custody and security ^[1]. Growing demand shows that institutional providers can no longer sidestep the cryptocurrency issue.

XRP-ETFs Exceed Expectations

XRP Spot ETFs in the United States are recording remarkable success. Since their trading debut in mid-November, the four funds have achieved cumulative net inflows of 935 million US dollars ^[2]. The products from asset managers Canary Capital, Bitwise, Grayscale, and Franklin Templeton have developed extraordinarily dynamically ^[2].

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse is proud of this development: "XRP is now the fastest crypto ETF to reach one billion US dollars in assets under management in the US" ^[2]. He attributes the success to two key factors: the generally increasing demand for regulated crypto investment products and the special characteristics of the new ETF investors ^[2].

Garlinghouse views the long-term prospects particularly positively: "Longevity, stability, and community are all underestimated topics that matter to this new group of 'offchain' crypto holders" ^[2]. According to his assessment, these factors clearly speak in favor of Ripple and XRP ^[2].

Innovative Bitcoin ETF with After-Hours Trading Strategy

While XRP products celebrate success, US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded record outflows of approximately four billion US dollars in November ^[3]. BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust and Fidelity's Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund led the withdrawals ^[3].

Nevertheless, Tidal Trust II is planning an innovative product launch: The Nicholas Bitcoin and Treasuries AfterDark ETF would hold Bitcoin exclusively outside regular US trading hours ^[3]. According to the SEC filing, the fund would purchase Bitcoin at the end of US trading hours and resell it when markets open ^[3].

During the day, assets would be invested in US Treasury bonds, money market funds, and other cash equivalents ^[3]. This strategy is intended to allow investors to indirectly profit from Bitcoin while avoiding price volatility during trading hours ^[3].

ETF analyst Eric Balchunas commented on the filing by noting: "We looked at this last year and found that most gains are actually made outside of trading hours" ^[3]. Such a "Bitcoin After Dark ETF" could therefore achieve better returns ^[3].

Outlook

The developments show that the cryptocurrency market is increasingly becoming institutionalized. While traditional banks in Germany expand their offerings, US asset managers are experimenting with new product structures to reach different investor groups.