21Shares expects active management to shape the future of crypto investing, citing shifting investor demands and team expansions.
Crypto asset manager 21Shares views actively managed exchange-traded products as the next evolution in crypto investing, according to an interview with President Duncan Moir published by CoinTelegraph.
Moir explained that crypto's nascent status makes it ideal for active management, combining bottom-up research on individual assets with quantitative and discretionary strategies to manage risk.
Team Expansions and Product Development
21Shares has expanded its portfolio management and trading teams to support more sophisticated products, hiring experts in trading and portfolio management to deliver strong actively managed offerings.
Active ETFs worldwide held nearly $1.8 trillion in assets at the end of 2025, per data from Morningstar and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, highlighting the growing market.
Integration with FalconX, following its acquisition of 21Shares in October, is accelerating product development, especially for complex offerings.
Demand for crypto ETPs and ETFs varies by region, with U.S. investors focusing on larger coins like Bitcoin and Ether, while European institutional clients seek exposure to newer assets and application layers.
Moir noted that Europe's more mature investor base is driving interest in expanding crypto allocations, as seen in 21Shares' recent launch of an ETP linked to Strix's preferred stock, which offers yield on Bitcoin-focused strategies and has seen strong early demand.
As the market matures, issuers are introducing features like staking; for example, Grayscale added staking to its ETPs in October, and BlackRock launched a staking-incorporated Ethereum product in March that recorded $15.5 million in trading volume on its first day.
21Shares evaluates new products based on internal research, client demand, and market trends, resulting in offerings like their Bitcoin-and-gold ETP, which has been live for four years and provides strong risk-adjusted returns.
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