In 2018, it was relatively easy for asset managers to ignore the cryptocurrency space. Bitcoin had crashed, losing over 80% of its value, and the new ecosystem was littered with failed initial coin offerings. It all looked like a fad.
Bitcoin was originally created as a currency for the internet, where people could send and receive money without going through a financial institution. In recent years, the dominant narratives surrounding bitcoin have been solely focused on its potential as a
The Bank of Japan (BOJ) currently has no plans to issue central bank digital currency (CBDC), but to ensure the stability and efficiency of settlement systems as a whole, the BOJ regards it …
On-chain crypto-assets transaction volumes have grown rapidly, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Crypto-assets activity appears to be a global phenomenon, although it still remains modest relative to gross domestic product for most countries. Panel regressions across more than 130 countries
We live in a world that is increasingly digitalized: most economic transactions and social interactions today occur remotely through the internet. The rapid digitalization of our lives also coincides with the growth of large social media and financial service companies
Since we last did this survey in 2020, there has been a clear salary inflation across the industry, the average salary increasing by 11% and bonuses rising by 10%. In our experience, a lot of the salary inflation is been
In the face of these events, Bitcoin outperformed assets like oil, gold and US dollars. After heavy price drops to start 2022, the crypto market stabilised for some time until it was shaken by a sudden spike which saw overall
Grayscale Research Crypto assets are increasingly becoming a key component of The Postmodern Portfolio. This report looks at the investment thesis for crypto assets, and the role they play within a portfolio, through the lens of Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT).
Once investors have decided to invest in digital assets, the next question becomes, “Which one?” Of course, bitcoin is the most recognized, first-ever digital asset, but there are hundreds and even thousands of other digital assets in the ecosystem. One
State Street Digital Digest – January 2022 To help us understand the current industry state-of-play around all things digital, State Street recently launched a survey of global institutional investors in partnership with Oxford Economics. The findings, equal parts surprising and
Once investors have decided to invest in digital assets, the next question becomes, “Which one?” Of course, bitcoin is the most recognized, first-ever digital asset, but there are hundreds and even thousands of other digital assets in the ecosystem. One
A broader market sell-off caused market sentiment to weaken substantially in Jan., leading some to think that BTC could break critical support levels and slip into a bear market. Notwithstanding BTC’s underwhelming performance, BTC’s hashrate hit an all-time-high on Jan.
Once investors have decided to invest in digital assets, the next question becomes, “Which one?” Of course, bitcoin is the most recognized, first-ever digital asset, but there are hundreds and even thousands of other digital assets in the ecosystem. One
Some alternative assets performed very well in 2021, especially private equity and Bitcoin. But we think 2022 will be very different with less growth but lots of policy tightening. Hence we expect a convergence of returns but still favour cyclical
If 2020 was the The Year of the ₿ull, then 2021 was without a doubt the year crypto went mainstream. Last year, the cryptoasset industry experienced breakthroughs in adoption, regulation, policy, broader infrastructure development, technical upgrades, and on top of
Whether Crypto is the new New World or a glorified Ponzi Scheme is a debate which gets people curiously animated. We deftly sidestep this fracas, and instead focus on how the related instruments could be used from an asset allocation
Bitcoin's reputation as the soundest form of money is largely underpinned by its decentralized blockchain network. The network comprises globally distributed computers, known as “nodes,” that connect to each other and are run by anyone in the world with …
Understanding CBDCs Digital currencies are increasingly in demand across the globe. Central banks have taken notice and are investigating the creation of their own Central Bank Digital Currencies. In this article, we explain what CBDCs are, why central banks are
China bans Bitcoin, embraces dlt with ESG implications We don't have to sacrifice a strong economy for a healthy environment. Dennis Weaver SUMMARY China’s renewed crackdown on bitcoin aims at tackling the country’s problems of power shortages, climate control, creeping
New research from Fidelity explores bitcoin’s characteristics, potential benefits and risks, and other implementation considerations KEY TAKEAWAYS We believe bitcoin is an aspiring asset class in a period of price discovery. Like gold, bitcoin is a high-powered, opportunistic hedging asset
Sinds mei 2021 treedt China strenger op tegen het verhandelen en mijnen van cryptocurrency’s. China treedt hard op tegen o.a. bitcoin in een poging om problemen als stroomtekorten, klimaatschokken, financiële ontwrichting en de sluipende erosie van zijn soevereiniteit op het
In 1998, computer scientist Nicholas Szabo developed a novel, decentralized digital currency called “bit gold” based on a system mathematicians hypothesized nearly a decade prior. The development of this system was a precursor of what we know now as blockchain.2
Speculation is extraordinary, but so is potential. Whether investors welcome it—or even realize it— cryptocurrency, or crypto, is having an impact on their portfolios. The immense size of the cryptocurrency ecosystem and its disruptive effects are being felt across capital
Markets have been climbing a wall of worry in 2021, reaching record highs even as investors brace for the possibility of elevated inflation, rising interest rates, runaway debt and a bitcoin bubble. With so much to trouble investors, many are
What kind of an asset is it? Its origins: how did decentralised finance give birth to blockchain database? How a number of ESG concerns are related to the way different cryptocurrencies have been structured and programmed to function? What's next
CBDCs should boost financial inclusion and improve efficiency. Private sector cryptocurrencies— digital assets used as a medium of exchange—have received a lot of public attention in recent years. Now, central banks across the world are exploring the introduction of central bank
Increasing regulatory control, due to central banks protecting their economic policy sovereignty and national governments seeking to control climate change, is an imminent risk for cryptocurrencies. In particular, China’s official digital currency is ‘anti-cryptos‘. Cryptocurrency anonymity, notably in the case
Growing positive momentum is driving the Ethereum platform and its Ether currency forward. When the artist known as Beeple sold a digital artwork in early March through Christie’s for $69.3m, he used non-fungible token (NFT) technology lodged on the Ethereum
Since the Dutch East India Co.’s public share offering in 1602, public markets have allowed for people of all walks of life to help cultivate, contribute, and profit from a capitalistic system that has pulled many out of poverty. Over
What are Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs)? What is the impetus behind CBDCs when the ethos of crypto goes against the very role of central banks? How will CBDCs affect the widespread use of cryptocurrencies or the need for crypto
While fixed income markets mainly remained under pressure, they were not the worst performing asset class in March. That honor went to commodities. After leading the way over the past months, commodities came under pressure in March. The decline was broad based. Crude oil lost …
The role of cryptocurrencies as a vehicle for speculation has been well established. However, it is less clear if cryptocurrencies can also serve to manage risk. The authors seek to determine the diversification potential of cryptocurrencies both for short and
The proliferation of crypto-currencies (CCs) and the popularity of these assets among investors has led us to question their nature, function, valuation and potential development. CCs are at the crossroads of technological innovation, finance and monetary policy.
During the week of 15 of March, the bitcoin is nearing a new record high of 60.000 U.S. dollar. This unprecedented rise in price begs to wonder, what do institutional investors think about Bitcoin. In this article some of the opinions of institutional investors on bitcoin and cryptocurrencies in general will be shared.
Het is geen toeval dat de bitcoin opnieuw in de belangstelling staat nu de bezorgdheid over de inflatie toeneemt. Dat komt omdat cryptomunten, waarvan de bitcoin de bekendste is, barometers zijn geworden van het sentiment over een agressief monetair beleid van de centrale banken en financiële repressie. De voorbije tien …
As Bitcoin hits new highs, we find that more reasons are being propagated as to why this cryptocurrency is the future of the monetary system. Many of these views and assertions seem vague and overly simplistic and hence we struggle to follow the logic of the analysis provided. On the other hand, we have studied the monetary system, which is also not simple because of the complex subject matter.
Since the Dutch East India C.’s public share offering in 1602, public markets have allowed for people of all walks of life to help cultivate, contribute, and profit from a capitalistic system that has pulled many out of poverty. Over time, technological innovations have made markets more advanced and the barriers to …
Bitcoin is again in the news. Some advocates of the cryptocurrency suggest its price is rising because bitcoin is challenging gold’s standing as the one supra-currency, the asset to own when fiat currencies are being debased. Does bitcoin offer something unique as …
In 2020, more operating companies began allocating cash to digital assets and cryptocurrencies. This is a new dynamic and a departure from more conventional investing by funds and others in this space. One telling example is MicroStrategy Inc., which announced, last December, that it …
Columbia Threadneedle Investments provides readers with an in-depth discussion of fixed income assets. One important takeaway is the Biden presidency causing rising inflation expectations.
Alternative investments are attracting ever more investors. According to the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association, in the fifteen years between 2003 and 2018 the size of the global investment market doubled, while alternative investments almost tripled to USD 13.4 trillion. This would …
The Decentralized Finance (DeFi) space has been all the craze this year, with an estimated value of over $11B locked in the DeFi lending market alone.1 It’s likely that you’ve seen new DeFi platforms with impressive annual percentage yields (APY) advertised for different cryptocurrencies …
What is blockchain technology? Blockchain technology is an umbrella term covering a set of tools, methods, and processes for electronic recordkeeping between multiple participants. Blockchains are peer-to-peer (P2P) networks composed of different entities that collectively maintain and update a shared set of records.
Crypto in Review 2020 The Year of the Bull 2020 will be remembered as a catastrophic year for the world’s economy as the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged global markets. In light of this tragedy, crypto’s epic COVID-19-induced crash and bounce to
Bitcoin, blockchain, and cryptocurrencies burst onto the world stage in 2008, when the online posting of a pseudonymous white paper envisioned a new way to transfer value over the internet.1 In the decade-plus since, the cryptoasset market has gone …
Born to Run December 2020 Market Recap & Outlook Takeaways BTC’s +47% return in Dec. marked its best monthly performance since May 2019 and an annual return in excess of +300%, BTC’s 4th best annual performance since 2011. ETH’s +20%
In Credit – Here we go again 4 January 2021 It was a quiet end to the year for government bond markets with yields little changed. The resolution of the Brexit negotiations was widely anticipated and there was little impact
Uncommon truths Looking at global stock indices, you wouldn’t know there had been a global pandemic and recession during 2020. On the other hand, gold bears witness to the problems and Bitcoin has recently taken up the mantle. Applying our
"In the past 18 months the subject of Central Bank Digital Currency has accelerated dramatically from potential research areas, to key policy agenda. Unquestionably, this has been driven by developments in Facebook’s Libra where the spectre of the private sector
The crypto derivatives landscape has evolved tremendously over the last several years. Beginning with pioneers like Crypto Facilities, BitMEX, Deribit, BitVC (now HuobiDM), and OKEx, derivatives trading in crypto markets really took hold in 2017, dovetailing the entrance of traditional
