Markets Never Close: The Case for Tokenized ETPs | Alex Pollak | 21Shares [EP. 308]

Markets Never Close: The Case for Tokenized ETPs | Alex Pollak | 21Shares [EP. 308]

From MoneyNeverSleeps by Pete Townsend | GP at Norio Ventures

March 20, 2026 · 12 min · Episode 308

About this episode

Pete Townsend speaks with Alex Pollak about the evolution of crypto ETPs and their role in the future of finance.

Markets don't close when the exchange does. They just move somewhere else. In this episode of MoneyNeverSleeps, Pete Townsend speaks with Alex Pollak of 21Shares about why crypto ETPs are not just surviving the rise of onchain finance — they're about to become part of it. Alex Pollak is Managing Director and Head of UK and New Markets at 21Shares, which provides the largest suite of cryptocurrency exchange-traded products in the world. Drawing on over 20 years in the ETF and ETP industry, Alex explains why the wrapper that made crypto accessible to institutions is now evolving into something programmable, tokenized, and potentially tradeable around the clock. Across crypto, fintech, and traditional finance, the conversation around tokenized assets and 24/7 markets is moving from theory toward product reality. Exchanges, brokers, and issuers are beginning to ask what happens when the underlying assets never sleep but the fund structure still does. Rather than being displaced by direct crypto ownership or onchain alternatives, ETPs may be about to get smarter — evolving from simple access vehicles into programmable baskets that operate inside a financial system that no longer has…

People in this episode

Host: Pete Townsend

Guest: Alex Pollak

Topics covered

  • tokenized ETPs
  • crypto finance
  • financial infrastructure
  • 24/7 trading
  • ETP evolution
  • crypto accessibility

Keywords

  • crypto ETPs
  • tokenization
  • financial products
  • 24/7 markets
  • crypto accessibility
  • ETP industry
  • onchain finance

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: 21Shares, Norio Ventures

Products: crypto ETPs, cryptocurrency exchange-traded products

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