CaixaBank and imagin are offering their customers two investment vehicles designed to replicate the performance of bitcoin.
The bank is enabling cryptocurrency investment through two ETPs (Exchange Traded Products) - financial instruments that allow participation in the evolution of a bitcoin portfolio.
These instruments are aimed at investors with sufficient knowledge to assess the risks associated with cryptocurrencies, particularly their potential volatility. There are no minimum investment requirements. Both products are regulated under MiFID legislation, and customers must pass the suitability assessment required by the regulation.
Before investing, it is important for customers to understand that these ETPs are complex and high-risk products. The investment involves significant risks, including the possibility of total loss of invested capital, high volatility, and liquidity challenges. These products are not covered by any deposit guarantee fund or investor protection mechanisms.
Additionally, investors should ensure they read the key information document and understand how crypto assets work, specifically the risks inherent in the use of distributed ledger technology (e.g., cyber theft, hacking, loss or destruction of private keys), on which these products are based.
CaixaBank will not provide advice on these financial instruments, meaning it will not offer personalized recommendations. Instead, it will make them available for customers to trade on their own through exclusively digital channels: CaixaBankNow, the imagin app, and the bank’s own app.
The two ETPs are listed on several European exchanges, allowing real-time transactions. However, despite being listed, there may be periods of low liquidity. As with any listed instrument, transactions are subject to the opening and closing hours of the exchanges.
In addition to the inherent volatility of crypto assets, ETPs may be exposed to exchange rate risk, as the product’s value can be affected by fluctuations between the euro and the US dollar. This may influence the final investment outcome, regardless of bitcoin’s price performance.
The cryptocurrencies are held by two SPVs (Special Purpose Vehicles) created by asset managers Invesco and Wisdom Tree. The underlying assets are held by regulated entities (Swissquote Bank AG, Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC), but there is risk in the event of custodian insolvency. Furthermore, although the ETPs have regulated custody mechanisms managed by specialized entities, investing in crypto assets involves additional technological and operational risks, including potential cybersecurity incidents that may affect the availability or integrity of the assets.
Leadership in Digital Payments
CaixaBank has become an international benchmark in financial services and innovative payment methods. It recently announced its participation, along with eight other major European banks, in an international consortium to create a euro-linked stablecoin—a digital payment instrument based on blockchain technology that aims to become a trusted reference in the European financial ecosystem.
Imagin continues to lead the search for innovative solutions to bring the future of finance closer to young people, facilitating investment in listed products that replicate bitcoin’s behavior in a simple, regulated, and accessible way. This functionality reinforces its commitment to offering modern, secure financial services designed for a generation seeking to take control of their money and invest in new types of assets.
Additionally, CaixaBank is collaborating with the European Central Bank (ECB) on the future launch of the digital euro. CaixaBank was the only bank selected to participate in this initiative and co-developed, with the ECB, a prototype P2P payment wallet using the digital euro. CaixaBank’s extensive experience and leadership in innovation and payment methods, the quality of its services, internal project development capabilities, and market coverage were among the factors considered in the ECB’s selection process.
With more than 12 million digital banking users—the largest digital customer base in Spain’s financial sector—the bank works daily to develop new models that meet customer demand and need, bringing products, services, and financial culture closer to all citizens. Additionally, through its subsidiary CaixaBank Payments & Consumer, CaixaBank is the leading payment services provider in the Iberian market.