DTCC Opts Out Bitcoin ETFs from Receiving Any Collateral

DTCC looks to exclude investment vehicles with exposure to crypto in new rule changes.

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  • The DTCC has decided against assigning collateral to ETFs with crypto exposure.
  • The announcement sparked panic in the crypto sphere, heightening worries about liquidity.
  • However, the implications of DTCC’s new rule extend beyond initial concerns.

Bitcoin ETFs have been on a roll since they were introduced earlier this year, swiftly outpacing SIlver ETFs in its first quarter and accumulating over $50 billion in assets under management. The investment vehicle currently stands as one of the top-performing assets in the world, leading to the crypto industry drawing increasing attention from investors. However, despite its burgeoning success, it faces resistance from traditional financial players like the DTCC, reflecting lingering skepticism toward the crypto space.

DTCC Offers No Loans to Investment Vehicles with Exposure to Crypto

The Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC)โ€”the leading provider of post-trade clearing and settlement services in the financial marketsโ€”shared that it will not allocate collateral to ETFs with exposure to Bitcoin or cryptocurrencies and will not extend loans against them. 

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Effective April 30, 2023, the DTCC will implement changes to collateral values for specific securities during its annual line-of-credit facility renewal, potentially impacting position values in the collateral monitor. 

Following the change, the DTCC will not assign any collateral value to ETFs and similar investment vehicles with Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies as underlying assets, resulting in a 100% reduction in their collateral value.

How Will The DTCCโ€™s New Rule Affect the Crypto Industry? 

There is widespread panic surrounding the DTCCโ€™s ruling that investment vehicles exposed to crypto cannot receive collateral. 

However, the new rule will only affect inter-entity settlements in the line of credit system, according to crypto enthusiast K.O. Kryptowaluty. For those unfamiliar, a line of credit is a borrowing arrangement allowing an institution to draw funds up to a predetermined credit limit. The borrower can access these funds as needed and typically pays interest only on the amount borrowed.

According to Kryptowaluty, using cryptocurrency ETFs for lending and as collateral in brokerage operations will remain unaffected, contingent upon individual brokers’ risk tolerance levels. 

On the Flipside

  • Max Minton, head of digital assets for Goldman Asia Pacific, said that many of his firmโ€™s largest clients had recently become active or were โ€œexploring getting activeโ€ in the crypto sector.
  • Net inflows into Bitcoin ETFs have recently slowed down, given the rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

Why This Matters

The DTCC’s decision to exclude investment vehicles linked to Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies could have implications for investors, potentially leading to reduced liquidity and increased risk. However, it could also deter larger entities from taking on large lines of credit against their รงrypto assets and potentially manipulating the market with their disproportionately large positions.

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This article is for information purposes only and should not be considered trading or investment advice. Nothing herein shall be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. Trading forex, cryptocurrencies, and CFDs pose a considerable risk of loss.

Author
Insha Zia

Insha Zia is a senior journalist at DailyCoin covering crypto developments, especially in the Cardano ecosystem. With a Bachelor of Science in Computer Systems Engineering, he delivers high-quality articles with his technical background and expertise in data analysis and programming languages, aiming to educate and inform readers accurately, transparently, and engagingly. Insha believes education can drive mass adoption of the crypto space, and he is committed to giving DailyCoin readers a better understanding of the technology.

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