UBS Jumps on Bitcoin Bandwagon

UBS would join its banking counterparts in the US, which are also looking to meet new and growing client demand for cryptocurrency exposure

by Tanaya Macheel /

May 10, 2021 10:16 am

Source: Shutterstock

The Swiss firm is considering allowing clients to invest through third party investment vehicles
Last month UBS invested in a $65 million fundraise for ConsenSys

UBS is the latest bank seeking to respond to demand by wealthy clients for exposure to digital assets.

Newsletter

Subscribe to The Breakdown

The Swiss firm is considering allowing clients to invest through third party investment vehicles, according to a Bloomberg report Monday morning, and to shield them from the volatility risk associated with bitcoin and other digital assets, UBS would limit clients’ exposure to a small portion of their total wealth.

Last month UBS invested in a $65 million fundraise for ConsenSys, a software development firm that builds cryptocurrency-related infrastructure and is working to bring decentralized finance (DeFi) to traditional finance.

UBS would join its banking counterparts in the US, which are also looking to meet new and growing client demand for cryptocurrency exposure, including Morgan Stanley, which offers three funds (two from Galaxy Digital and another joint effort between FS Investments and NYDIG) and has filed for bitcoin exposure in 12 more.

Tags

latest

Newsletter

The Breakdown

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

Digital Asset Summit 2025

Old Billingsgate

Mon - Wed, October 13 - 15, 2025

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

buy tickets learn more

recent research

Research

Tokenize, Trade, Expand: The Figure Thesis

Figure, founded by former SoFi CEO Mike Cagney, has emerged as a leader in onchain RWAs, with ~$17.5B publicly tokenized. The platform’s ecosystem volume is growing ~40% YoY as it expands beyond HELOCs into student loans, DSCR loans, unsecured loans, bankruptcy claims, and more. Operationally, Figure cuts average loan production cost by ~93% and compresses median funding time from ~42 days to ~10, creating a durable speed-and-cost advantage.

by Marc-Thomas Arjoon, CFA