Nornickel fund launches first Blockchain-tracked nickel and copper ETCs on LSE

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A fund of Russia's Norilsk Nickel has launched Blockchain-tracked securities known as Exchange Traded Commodities (ETCs) which offer investors exposure to the spot prices of nickel and copper without owning them, it said.

Nornickel, the world's largest producer of refined nickel and a major producer of copper, hopes to attract more European-based investors in these base metals through ETCs launched on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).

The ETCs will use Blockchain technology for transparency and security of the metals backing them. The metals will be stored in warehouses in Rotterdam, Nornickel said in a statement on Thursday.

The total expense ratio for copper and nickel ETCs is estimate at 0.85% and 0.75%, respectively, it added.

Its Global Palladium Fund launched similar ETCs for gold, silver, platinum and palladium in January.

(Reporting by Polina Devitt; editing by Elaine Hardcastle)