After Goldman Sachs was said to launch a cryptocurrency trading desk this summer, which did not happen, now, another major US investment bank is on the “hunt” for creating a Bitcoin derivative product.
Morgan Stanley is rumoured to be eyeing price return swaps that are actually tied to the “people’s currency”. As the price return swaps are actually derivative instruments, investors will be able to invest indirectly in Bitcoin by using the underlying contracts.
The interesting part is that, according to a source in Bloomberg, the actual derivatives are ready to be launched. While a representative from Morgan Stanley has not commented in any way on the news, according to press, the bank is waiting for an internal approval and an increase in investors’ “appetite” for the swaps.
While the regulatory issues around Bitcoin are still murky and impose huge impediments to the development of the cryptocurrency market, major investment banks are paving their way into the digital money services, it appears. While Goldman Sachs has not launched a trading desk, it is rumoured to have had a strategy group within the bank working to offer cryptocurrency and blockchain solutions to its customers.
Satisfying the digital needs of clients has become a top priority for many commercial, investment and even audit companies. KPMG, Union Bank AG and many more are investing in digital coins and blockchain solutions.