{"id":365131,"date":"2019-01-03T15:11:56","date_gmt":"2019-01-03T15:11:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uniquehot.com\/?p=365131"},"modified":"2019-01-03T15:11:56","modified_gmt":"2019-01-03T15:11:56","slug":"major-crypto-exchanges-are-focusing-on-otc-do-they-see-big-institutional-demand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uniquehot.com\/news\/major-crypto-exchanges-are-focusing-on-otc-do-they-see-big-institutional-demand\/","title":{"rendered":"Major Crypto Exchanges are Focusing on OTC, Do They See Big Institutional Demand?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Since Bitcoin (BTC) found its all-time high in late-December 2017, two weeks shy of one fateful year ago, the leading cryptocurrency has fallen by a jaw-dropping 81%, posting a performance that would make speculators shudder.\u00a0Yet, dozens of reports indicate that institutional players have only\u00a0advanced further into the battlefield that is crypto, infusing hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars worth\u00a0of capital into BTC<\/a> and its altcoin brethren.<\/p>\n Although these reports have\u00a0been deemed credible by a myriad of industry commentators and analysts, the market has barely budged, which begs the million-dollar question \u2014 how are the institutional-sourced greenbacks entering the crypto market?\u00a0And while many have struggled to discern the solution to this pertinent inquiry, the answer might have been floating right under the industry’s nose all along. More specifically, in crypto’s recent memory, a number of preeminent startups have launched over-the-counter (OTC) desks or made significant investments in this unique form of infrastructure.<\/p>\n In early-November, Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, the juggernaut behind the powerhouse that is Binance, made a guest appearance on CNBC Africa’s “Crypto Trader,”<\/a> speaking with anchor Ran NeuNer about the status of crypto. After claiming that “something will trigger” a bull run, “sooner or later,” CZ, lending his insight as an exchange CEO, divulged that the OTC crypto market is “at least as large as the live recorded volumes.” In other words, as the Binance chief stated:<\/p>\n “I think that it is very possible [the money is flowing into the OTC market].\u00a0What I\u2019ve heard is the OTC market is at least as large as the live recorded volumes. So, at least 50% of volumes are not being reported on CoinMarketCap. But we\u2019re not heading to that business, so we don\u2019t know the real volumes [there].\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Just 13 days after Zhao made his striking comments, in an evident change of heart,\u00a0news arose<\/a> that Binance Labs, the venture and incubator arm of its namesake, had made a $3 million investment into Koi Trading. San Francisco-based Koi Trading, for those who aren’t aware, is an emerging platform that acts as an OTC desk, specializing in the facilitation of non-retail investor-issued crypto exchange orders.<\/p>\n Coinbase, arguably Binance’s foremost competitor when it comes to diversified crypto offerings, quickly followed suit, one-upping Binance by launching its own OTC platform initially behind closed doors. As reported by NewsBTC<\/a>,\u00a0Christine Sandler, head of coverage at Coinbase, took to Cheddar to divulge more about the newfangled institutional product.<\/p>\n Sandler, discussing the matter in an exclusive interview, noted that Coinbase recently launched an “agency-only” OTC desk to complement its traditional exchange business. Explaining that this venture was catalyzed by the presence of valid interest, the executive, admitting that Coinbase\u2019s OTC launch was \u201copportunistic,\u201d stated:<\/p>\n \u201cWe found that a lot of institutions are usig OTC to on-ramp [their fiat] for crypto trading. And so we felt that this was a huge benefit for our clients to leverage our exchange and our OTC desk. So, we\u2019re agency-only and we have plans to expand the service to offer delayed settlement and integration into our custody platform as well.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Sandler’s statement, coupled with Zhao’s insight into the relationship between OTC and spot markets, only accentuates the fact that institutions continue to purchase copious amounts of crypto assets, even while it goes unnoticed by most naive traders. These two industry insiders aren’t alone in alluding to the fact that Wall Street hotshots are waxing their cryptocurrency skis, so to speak.<\/p>\n Bobby Cho, the global head of trading at Cumberland, DRW\u2019s cryptocurrency trading division, recently noted<\/a> that hedge funds continue to issue abounding OTC Bitcoin transactions. Cho discerning what this meant, explained:<\/p>\n \u201cWhat that\u2019s showing you is the professionalization that\u2019s happening across the board in this space.\u00a0The Wild West days of crypto are really turning the corner.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Boston-based Circle corroborated Cho’s remarks, with CEO Jeremy Allaire telling\u00a0Bloomberg<\/a>\u00a0that Circle Invest has seen \u201ctriple-digit growth\u201d in the number of individuals enrolling into its in-house OTC business.<\/p>\nCoinbase, Binance Embark On OTC Forays Amid Bear Market<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Institutions Still Enamored With Crypto<\/h2>\n
Related Reading: Goldman May Be Out For Now, But Wall Street Still Wants Crypto<\/a><\/em><\/h5>\n