Banking giant JPMorgan has partnered with the NY Digital Investment Group to provide access to a Bitcoin Fund, despite Dimon disposition towards crypto.
JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE: JPM) now offers its private banking clients an opportunity to invest in an in-house Bitcoin Fund. The multinational investment bank is making this available in partnership with New York Digital Investment Group (NYDIG), a leading digital investment group. A subsidiary of Stone Ridge alternative asset managers, the NYDIG offers a host of activities which includes asset management and execution within a secure framework.
The leading bank only made this announcement yesterday in a conference call to advisers. So far, JPMorgan has not received any investments from its target clients into the fund.
According to JPMorgan, the Bitcoin Fund will be presented in “the safest and cheapest bitcoin investment vehicles available on the private markets”. In addition, the private fund will seamlessly ease into a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund down the line. The bank already has plans in motion for such a product but does not currently have an ETF bid before the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). However, NYDIG has filed one, which is now under review.
JPMorgan CEO Is Anti-Crypto
According to JPMorgan, its recent developments do not change the skepticism the bank harbors towards cryptocurrencies. In the bank’s opinion, it is solely a business move designed to cater to the growing interests of its clients to invest in crypto. When media reports concerning the news first came out in May, Company CEO Jamie Dimon made his sentiments known shortly after that. He said: “I don’t care about bitcoin. I have no interest in it. On the other hand, clients are interested, and I don’t tell clients what to do.”
In the past, Dimon has even shared stronger sentiments concerning digital currencies. Back in May, Dimon cautioned investors about Bitcoin and the entire digital currency industry. Speaking in congressional testimony to the United States House Financial Services Committee, Dimon however said that the bank will offer crypto services to clients and customers, regardless of his personal opinion. He said:
“My own personal advice to people is: stay away from it. That does not mean the clients doen’t want it. This goes back to how you have to run a business. I don’t smoke marijuana but if you make it nationally legal, I’m not going to stop our people from banking it.”
JPMorgan Bitcoin Fund Marks Growing Trend in the Financial Industry
Despite what its CEO or thinks about digital currencies, JPMorgan continues to enter the world of cryptocurrencies. Last month, the company began to allow its financial advisors to assist its wealth management clients with crypto investments. The JPMorgan Private Bank provides services that include access to Bitcoin funds, such as GBTC, through a JPMorgan brokerage account. Also, JPMorgan added crypto exchanges Coinbase and Gemini Trust Co. as banking clients last year.
JPMorgan’s recent move reflects an increasing number of traditional financial institutions making moves into the world of digital currencies. There has been a surge in client demand in recent times and an increase in the value of the tokens. In addition, other financial institutions like Morgan Stanley and DBS Group Holdings Limited are also getting into crypto.
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