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Since the launch of several U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in January, institutional investors have been increasingly seeking cryptocurrency investments in the first quarter of this year.
A survey by CoinShares Digital Fund Managers shows that these institutional investors significantly increased their digital asset allocations, reaching 3% of their investment portfolios. This is the highest level since the survey began in 2021.
Many of these investors attribute their increased investment in digital assets to distributed ledger technology. Additionally, they now view digital assets as having good value and see the demand for Bitcoin as a diversification investment continually growing.
Bitcoin remains the predominant feature in institutional investors' portfolios, with Bitcoin being the most sought-after digital asset in this group. James Butterfill, Research Director at CoinShares, stated that over a quarter of respondents indicated that their portfolios were invested in BTC through spot ETFs.
Following Bitcoin, Ethereum occupies the second position, although investor interest has declined since the last survey. Investors indicate that BTC and ETH are still the most promising digital assets for growth.
Nevertheless, enthusiasm among Solana investors has surged, with its allocation rising to 14%, proving this point. This growth is mainly driven by select key investors expanding their holdings in the rapidly growing blockchain network, which has seen significant price and adoption increases over the past year.
While other alternative digital assets struggle, Ripple (XRP) stands out due to its significant decline. None of the surveyed investors mentioned holding this stock.
Despite the increasing exposure to digital assets and the emergence of Bitcoin ETFs, many investors still find it challenging to access this asset class.
The CoinShares survey indicates that regulatory issues remain the primary obstacle for most investors. This emerging industry faces regulatory scrutiny, especially in the United States, where financial regulatory bodies such as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission have initiated several legal actions against major players like Binance and Coinbase.
Meanwhile, the inherent volatility of the emerging industry remains a significant concern for some investors. However, issues such as custody, reputational risk, and the lack of fundamental investment cases are becoming less severe. |
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