Grayscale news
Grayscale CEO: If GBTC gets approval it could return a ‘couple billion dollars’ to investors
Grayscale Investments CEO Michael Sonnenshein “can’t imagine” why the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) “wouldn’t want” to protect Grayscale investors and return the true asset value to them, in a recent podcast interview. In an interview with What Bitcoin Did, a popular podcast hosted by Peter McCormack, on Feb. 25, Sonnenshein explained that the SEC “violated the administrative procedures act” by denying Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) as an approved spot Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded fund (ETF), in June 2022. He explained that this act ensures the regulator doesn’t show “favoritism,” or act “arbitrary,” adding that by approving Bitcoin Futures …
Adoption / Feb. 26, 2023
DCG offloads Grayscale shares to raise capital: Report
Cryptocurrency conglomerate Digital Currency Group (DCG) has reportedly begun to sell its holdings in crypto funds managed by its subsidiary Grayscale Investments as it looks to raise capital and preserve liquidity. According to a Feb. 7 Financial Times report citing seen United States securities filings, DCG sold around a quarter of its shares in Grayscale’s Ether (ETH)-based fund for around $8 per share, despite each share holding a claim to nearly double that amount in ETH. It’s also said to have sold down small share parcels in Grayscale’s Litecoin (LTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Ethereum Classic (ETC)-based trusts in addition …
Bitcoin / Feb. 8, 2023
Bitcoin takes 'lion's share' as institutional inflows hit 7-month high
Bitcoin (BTC) rebounding 40% in January sparked the largest inflows of institutional cash since June 2022, data shows. In its "Digital Asset Fund Flows" Weekly" report on Jan. 30, digital asset investment and trading group CoinShares confirmed $117 million headed into crypto in the last week of the month. Institutions "not sold" on post-merge Ethereum Bitcoin is still on the radar as an institutional investment opportunity. As demonstrated by CoinShares’ latest data, it took a matter of weeks of BTC price action recouping prior losses to spark a major turnaround in investment habits — and not just in the United …
Bitcoin / Feb. 7, 2023
Osprey sues Grayscale for misrepresenting likelihood of GBTC ETF approval
Digital asset manager Osprey Funds filed suit against Grayscale Investments in Connecticut Superior Court on Jan. 30, alleging violation of the state’s Unfair Trade Practices Act. The suit concerns Grayscale advertising and promotion of the Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded fund (ETF) it is seeking to create. Osprey stated in the suit that it is the only competitor to Grayscale on the over-the-counter traded Bitcoin trust asset management market, and Grayscale maintained its leading position through deceit: “Only because of its false and misleading advertising and promotion has Grayscale been able to maintain to date approximately 99.5% market share in a two-participant …
Etf / Jan. 30, 2023
Opinion: Barry Silbert keeps quiet as Genesis goes down in flames
Just two months after the collapse of FTX, Genesis is following suit. Against an increasingly disheartening backdrop of “Big Cryptos” going bust, Barry Silbert’s cryptocurrency lender, Genesis Global Holdco, is the latest firm to file for bankruptcy, and if things always come in three, it might not be the last. Genesis Capital’s parent company, Digital Currency Group, has denied any involvement in the bankruptcy filing, citing “a special committee of independent directors” in charge of the decision, seemingly without any input from Silbert himself. But both companies are already getting hit with fresh securities class-action lawsuits alleging violations of federal …
Business / Jan. 26, 2023
DCG companies laid off over 500 employees as contagion spreads
Hundreds of people have lost their jobs at companies owned by crypto venture capital firm Digital Currency Group (DCG), as the longer crypto winter boosted by the FTX collapse continues to affect the sector. Amidst the recent layoffs, London-based cryptocurrency exchange Luno announced on Jan. 25 a reduction of 35% in its workforce, letting go nearly 330 professionals as a result of turbulence in the tech and crypto industries, which affected the firm's overall growth and revenue members. Luno was part of DCG's portfolio alongside HQ Digital, an asset management subsidiary incubated by DCG since 2020 that managed $3.5 billion …
Business / Jan. 25, 2023
Court to hear oral arguments in Grayscale's lawsuit against SEC in March
A United States appeals court is set to hear the oral arguments relating to Grayscale Investment’s lawsuit against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over its decision to deny Grayscale’s Bitcoin (BTC) spot exchange-traded fund (ETF). As per a court motion filed on Jan. 23, both sides will present their arguments at the District of Columbia Court of Appeals on Mar. 7, 2023, at 9:30 am local time. Oral arguments are spoken presentations delivered by attorneys summarizing why their clients should win the case. Each party in the case takes turns directly speaking to and answering questions from the judge …
Bitcoin / Jan. 25, 2023
SEC's 'one-dimensional' approach is slowing Bitcoin progress: Grayscale CEO
The approach to crypto regulatory enforcement by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) stalled the advancement of Bitcoin (BTC) in the country, according to the CEO of Grayscale Investments. In a letter published in The Wall Street Journal on Jan. 23, the chief of the cryptocurrency asset management firm, Michael Sonnenshein, said he agreed with an assertion that the SEC was “late to the game” regarding crypto regulation and preventing the bankruptcy of FTX, adding: “‘Late’ doesn’t capture what transpired here. The problem is the Securities and Exchange Commission’s one-dimensional approach of regulation by enforcement.” Grayscale is currently …
Etf / Jan. 24, 2023
Cathie Wood: Ark dumps 500K GBTC shares, adds Coinbase stock as Bitcoin recovers 40%
Cathie Wood's Ark Invest offloaded a chunk of its Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) shares since November's Bitcoin (BTC) price lows, the latest data shows. Cathie Wood's Ark short-term cautious on GBTC Ark Invest added 450,272 GBTC shares worth $4.5 million to its ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (ARKW) in November 2022. At the time, GBTC was trading in the $7.46-$9.48 range versus $12.25 in January 2023. GBTC price, of course, recovered alongside Bitcoin, rising roughly 40% from its November lows. The recovery in January also helped reduce the GBTC "discount" from nearly 50% to 40%, according to YCharts. Interestingly, the …
Etf / Jan. 23, 2023
Opinion: Digital Currency Group's implosion marks a bottom in trust for the market
It looks as if the bear cycle is going to claim another high-profile crypto company. On Jan. 19, Digital Currency Group’s (DCG’s) lending subsidiary, Genesis, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Here we have yet another industry giant with a tale of incestuous lending, little risk management to speak of and opaque reporting policies. For market participants, the gathering storm clouds at DCG represent a failure that would have been unthinkable in 2021. Founded by CEO Barry Silbert in 2015, DCG has become a mainstay in crypto’s short existence. Genesis’ filing revealed the full extent of creditors affected by its implosion, …
Business / Jan. 20, 2023
CoinDesk could be up for grabs as parent company DCG scrambles for funds
Crypto media outlet CoinDesk is reportedly considering a potential sale as its parent company Digital Currency Group (DCG) looks to strengthen its balance sheet. According to the Wall Street Journal, CoinDesk has sought the help of investment bankers from financial advisory firm Lazard, who are helping the firm weigh options including a full or partial sale. You know, I just realized that Coindesk is for sale. pic.twitter.com/QqmBPOClpu — Charles Hoskinson (@IOHK_Charles) January 19, 2023 DCG has purportedly received multiple offers exceeding $200 million to buy out the media firm over the last few months, which would result in a phenomenal …
Business / Jan. 19, 2023
Digital Currency Group halts dividends in an effort to preserve liquidity
Venture capital firm Digital Currency Group (DCG) has told shareholders it is halting its quarterly dividend payments until further notice as it attempts to preserve liquidity. According to the letter sent to shareholders on Jan. 17, the firm is focused on “strengthening our balance sheet by reducing operating expenses and preserving liquidity.” Its financial issues are derived from the woes of its subsidiary, crypto broker Genesis Global Trading, which reportedly owes creditors more than $3 billion and DCG is also considering selling some of the assets within its portfolio. Customers are currently unable to withdraw funds from Genesis after it …
Sec / Jan. 18, 2023