On 24 July 2025, French banking giant Société Générale announced a strategic partnership with 21Shares, one of the largest issuers of ETPs (Exchange Traded Products) on cryptocurrencies in Europe. As part of the collaboration, Société Générale will act as market maker for major products on Bitcoin and Ethereum - ABTC, CBTC, AETH and CETH - on institutional investor platforms in Germany and Eastern Europe.
Why is this move important?
Tighter spreads and stable executions. Société Générale will provide OTC liquidity, reducing price volatility and speeding up order execution for large investors.
Attracting institutional investors. The use of a robust European banking infrastructure reduces barriers to entry in the digital asset market, especially in the EU regulatory framework (MiFID II and MiCA).
A bridge between the traditional and digital economy. The partnership confirms Société Générale's intention to expand its business in tokenization, which already includes the issuance of the EUR stablecoin EURCV and the preparation of the USD CoinVertible (USDCV).
Societe Generale, France's second-largest bank, will provide OTC liquidity support for 21Shares' Bitcoin and Ethereum ETPs on its platform in Germany and Eastern Europe, making these products accessible to a wider group of professional investors. https://t.co/r25BAv3bFp
- Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) July 24, 2025
Details of the agreement
Société Générale will act as a market maker on major equity and institutional platforms in Germany and Eastern Europe, expanding its presence and facilitating access to investors.
The 21Shares portfolio includes physically backed ETPs: ABTC and CBTC on Bitcoin, AETH and CETH on Ethereum. Société Générale will provide trading support and liquidity for these instruments.
According to Société Générale, this is an important step to offer innovative liquidity solutions and improve access to a wide range of investment products for clients.
Market reaction
21Shares emphasises that the collaboration will strengthen its mission to offer investors efficient and reliable crypto solutions. Analysts point out that this step represents a sign of market maturity and confidence in digital assets by traditional finance players.
In September 2024, Société Générale's subsidiary SG-FORGE, in collaboration with a crypto broker, launched the euro stablecoin EUR CoinVertible (EURCV), compliant with MiCA regulation.
In June 2025, SG-FORGE introduced the USD CoinVertible (USDCV), a dollar stablecoin issued on the Ethereum and Solana blockchains. The first transactions are planned for July 2025. The currency is backed by reserves in reputable banks and conforms to European standards of transparency and stability.
What does it mean for investors and institutions?
Transparency and reliability. Collaboration with a large bank reduces the risks associated with transactions and technical malfunctions typical of crypto platforms.
Wide accessibility. Investors can trade crypto ETPs through a familiar exchange infrastructure, especially in countries with high regulatory standards.
Infrastructure development. The emergence of a robust market maker can foster the growth and stability of ETP trading, strengthening the market for digital assets.
This partnership not only improves current trading conditions, but also represents a step towards the full integration of digital assets into traditional financial systems. Société Générale continues to position itself as a leader in tokenization and institutional participation in the crypto market.
The launch of EURCV and USDCV stablecoins, as well as the provision of liquidity for crypto ETPs, demonstrate the bank's systemic approach towards digital assets. This could stimulate the interest of other European banks in establishing their own digital infrastructure, especially in the context of the regulatory certainty provided by MiCA.
