|
According to reports, not only "YOLO gamblers" are flocking to the cryptocurrency market, but also clients of Goldman Sachs Group's hedge funds.
YOLO is an abbreviation for "you only live once," and it represents an investment philosophy of the new generation of retail investors in the United States, similar to a gambling spirit. In some Reddit forums, retail investors use this term when making high-risk bets in the stock market, such as collaborating to drive up stock prices.
Max Minton, the head of digital assets in the Asia-Pacific region at Goldman Sachs, stated in an interview, "The recent approval of a spot Bitcoin ETF by U.S. regulatory authorities has sparked renewed interest and trading activity among our clients. Many of our largest clients are showing active participation, perhaps actively exploring the cryptocurrency market."
Goldman Sachs launched a cryptocurrency trading platform in 2021, which currently offers cash-settled Bitcoin options and Ethereum options trading, in addition to Bitcoin and Ethereum futures listed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. However, Goldman Sachs does not trade underlying cryptocurrencies.
Minton stated, "Last year was relatively quiet, but since the beginning of this year, we have seen an increase in client interest."
It is reported that most of the demand comes from Goldman's existing clients, primarily traditional hedge funds. He also mentioned that the bank is expanding its "broader client base," including asset management companies, banking clients, and digital asset companies.
Minton stated that clients are using crypto derivatives for directional bets, yield enhancement, and hedging purposes.
He mentioned that Bitcoin-related products are still the main focus of clients, but interest in Ethereum-related products may change in the future, depending on whether Ethereum ETFs can be approved in the United States.
In addition to trading, Goldman Sachs is actively using blockchain to tokenize traditional assets. The bank has launched a digital asset platform called GS DAP and recently participated in a pilot test of a blockchain network connecting banks, asset management companies, and exchanges.
Furthermore, Goldman Sachs has also made venture investments in blockchain infrastructure companies, which are strategically significant for its vision and the development of the digital asset market structure. "We have a portfolio, and we will invest when it is strategically significant," said Minton. |
|