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Crypto-assets appear in a revived and refreshed bull market, the analyst writes. Senior Bloomberg Commodity Analyst Mike McGlone weighs in with a very bullish prognosis for crypto-assets in the September edition of Bloomberg’s Crypto Outlook 2021. Considering cryptos such as bitcoin and ethereum are lifting off in the second half of the year from levels…
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Alternative Investments: Wealth Managers Add Alternatives Because Bonds Pay Next To Nothing (Report)
The recent Wealth Manager Investment Survey by bfinance covered 120 wealth managers handling over $1trn (£720bn) in assets. The survey noted that wealth managers were expanding their investment capabilities, with growing allocations to alternative investments and coverage of an increasingly diverse range of asset classes.
FinTech: Millennials Driving Demand For Shariah (Islamic) Banking – Mambu
A survey by SaaS cloud banking platform Mambu found that over half (53%) of young Muslims said they would choose Islamic banking – if barriers to entry were removed, and it became more accessible.
Digital Assets: Stimulus Checks Could End Up Chasing Bitcoin And Stocks (Mizuho)
Nearly 10% of the direct stimulus amount of $380 billion could potentially end up being used not for groceries and healthcare but instead in bets on volatile assets such as bitcoin and stocks said a report in Yahoo Finance that cited a survey by Mizuho Securities.
FinTech: India’s Fintech Industry Represents A $100B Value Creation Opportunity (BCG Report)
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) conducted a study of the Indian fintech industry in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). The report titled “India Fintech: A USD 100 Billion Opportunity,” said India’s fintech was a vibrant ecosystem on a high-growth trajectory, having raised USD 10 billion over the past five years, and currently poised at an estimated valuation of USD 50-60 billion.
Alternative Investments: Nearly Half Of Wealth Advisers Plan To Boost Allocation To Alternatives In 2021 (Survey)
In a blog in January, PPB Capital Partners (PPB), a provider of alternative investment solutions, said it was “surreal” that equity markets were seeing all-time highs right in the middle of a pandemic. But the unprecedented price movements and dramatic volatility, coupled with near-zero rates had wealth advisers in a bind. As a result, advisers were reaching out to PPB in their search for the twin goals of uncorrelated return streams and income. PPB is now out with a survey that ascertained advisers’ views on alternative investing in 2021.
Alternative Investments/Digital: Blockchain-Based Tokenization Could Revolutionize Alternatives (Report)
Alternative assets offer better options for investors these days when the traditional 60:40 portfolio looks risky and generates insufficient returns. Though suffering from comparatively poorer liquidity alternatives could provide much-needed diversification and better risk-adjusted returns for investors. However, these investments have traditionally been accessible to institutions and high net worth individuals. Tokenization may change the status quo, giving retail investors an opportunity.
Alternative Investments: Investors Turn To Alternatives For ‘A.I.D.’ (JPMorgan Report)
The events of 2021 forced us all to reconsider what the “essentials” in our lives are: Health professionals, our family, our health, home, friends, and a good internet connection. The third annual Global Alternatives Outlook by J.P. Morgan Asset Management recommends you add another item to that list of essentials – alternative investments.
Digital Assets: Grayscale’s Blockbuster Q4 (And 2020) Stats Reflect Rising Adoption of Cryptos
Grayscale Investments’ Q4 report provides valuable insight into the rising adoption of digital assets.
Artificial Intelligence: The USPTO Deploys AI To Gauge AI Trends In Patents
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) said in its October report, “Inventing AI – Tracing The Diffusion Of Artificial Intelligence With US Patents,” that annual AI-related applications rose from 30,000 in 2002 to more than 60,000 in 2018. That showed more than a 100% increase.
Digital Assets: “Bitcoin Is An Uncorrelated Asset,” Says Fidelity Report
A new report from Fidelity Digital Assets titled “Bitcoin Investment Thesis – Bitcoin’s Role As an Alternative Investment,” finds that the cryptocurrency has a very low correlation with mainstream assets such as stocks or gold.
Digital Assets: Bitcoin An Insurance Policy Against Inflation [Grayscale Report]
In an attempt to unravel the complexities of evaluating the dominant cryptocurrency, Grayscale Investments has assessed macroeconomic factors and indicators of demand and supply in a new report titled “Valuing Bitcoin.” The report concludes that the current Bitcoin market structure parallels that of early 2016 before it began its historic bull run.
Venture Capital: What COVID-19 Did To VC Investing in the U.S. (Report)
An article by Itay Sagie, co-founder of VCforU.com, which helps over 17,000 startups, uses Crunchbase data for the period March 18-June 17, 2020, to assess how the pandemic changed the venture capital investment landscape in the U.S.
Alternative Investments: Asset Managers Need To Up Their Game (BCG Report)
According to a new report from Boston Consulting Group, there is likely to be fierce competition for limited capital in 2020 after the coronavirus crisis. Asset managers will have to deal with these new market realities by taking recourse to technology and gaining an edge through expertise and scale.
FinTech: Post-COVID-19, Fintech To Emerge Stronger, Says Dubai Future Foundation
“Life after Covid-19: Financial Technologies,” a report issued by the Dubai Future Foundation, examines the impact of the pandemic on the UAE and the Arab world, and in particular, the fintech sector. The report reassuringly concludes that the sector would emerge stronger from the crisis as people take to digital services to run their lives.
Venture Capital: The Indian VC Industry Deployed a Record $10B in 2019 (Report)
2019 was a banner year for the Indian VC industry, says the IVCA-Bain India Venture Capital Report. Investors deployed a record-breaking $10 billion, up 55% from 2018, with deal volume surging 30%. The average deal size rose by 20% in 2019. Further, average deal ticket sizes surged across all stages of investment.
Digital Assets: Crypto Hedge Funds Doubled Assets under Management in 2019 (Report)
PwC and Elwood Asset Management Services used data from the largest global crypto hedge funds to compile the report.
Assets under management (AUM) at cryptocurrency hedge funds doubled from $1 billion in 2018 to $2 billion in 2019, while average assets under management expanded from $21.9 million to $44 million, said the report. Median AuM increased from US$4.3 million to US$8.2 million.
Digital Assets: Industry Funding for Digital Asset Data Providers Surpasses $110 Million
A global study was conducted by Outlier Ventures and DIA of 42 digital asset market data vendors globally. These vendors handle data for daily trading volumes exceeding US$100 billion. This newly emerging market of digital asset data providers is growing fast, the study found.
FinTechs: UK the Epicenter of Fintech in Europe, says Report
UK the Epicenter of Fintech in Europe, says Report. The fintech sector in the UK raked in a record $4.9 billion in investments during 2019, despite political turmoil from Brexit.
Alternative Investments: Pensions Could be Holding $61 Trillion of Assets Globally By 2025
Pensions Could be Holding $61 Trillion of Assets Globally By 2025. A report from the Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry said that pension funds are “facing a crisis of unprecedented proportions” due to rising life expectancies in many countries. As a result, pension funds have been forced to diversify across geographies and different asset classes in a bid to push up returns.
ESG: Mining Becomes More Responsible, But Needs To Do A Lot More: EgonZehnder
Miners have accepted that Environmental-Social-Governance (ESG) criteria will measure their commitment to sustainability and the impact of their operations on society.
Going a step further, mining companies have also come to realize that ESG compliance leads to the creation of shareholder value and attendant social benefits such as better working conditions. Further, they recognize that investors, employees and host governments will welcome those miners that have a record of credible ESG performance.
That ESG is causing a sea change in miners’ approach to societal obligations is apparent. But, says EgonZehnder, they should be doing more.
ESG: Cerulli Report Says 2020 To Be “Pivotal” For Retail ESG Investing
New regulations, products, and money will make 2020 a banner year for ESG in Europe
Sustainable and responsible investing around the themes of Environment-Social-Governance (ESG) will come into its own in 2020 in Europe, says the latest monthly report by Cerulli. And demand impetus may come from retail investors, the report goes on to say.
Real Estate: Indian Real Estate 2019-Big Deals Largely Concluded by Foreign PE Investors
Foreign private equity invested US$5.03 billion in Indian real estate in 2019.
Compared to 2018, when foreign PE investors poured in US$ 5.13 billion into Indian real estate, investment fell by 2% in 2019.
ESG: Corporate Borrowers Beware; Banks Screening for ESG, Says Fitch
ESG bites into banks’ lending to corporates, says a report by Fitch Ratings.
Fitch Ratings fielded a survey in the third quarter of 2019 and received 182 responses from banks. The survey examined how environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations are being incorporated into banks’ risk, financing, and prudential supervision frameworks.
Tim Melvin: Expectations for REITs in 2020
NAREIT – the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts — explored REITs’ strong 2019 performance and linked the sector’s success to a bounceback from 2018’s lackluster performance. Last week’s commentary quoted Matt Werner, portfolio manager at Chilton Capital Management.