9 in 10 endowment funds have made crypto-related investments, study finds

Ninety-four per cent of endowment funds have stated they've invested in crypto assets, either directly or through a fund last year, according to a survey conducted by Global Custodian, The TRADE Crypto and BitGo. The study was conducted in the fourth quarter of 2018, and 150 funds—mostly U.S.-based—took part.

More than half of the endowment funds stated they had invested directly in individual crypto-assets.

The study shows that despite worries concerning regulation, volatility and liquidity, endowers are planning to continue investing in digital assets this year—only 7 per cent showed interest in decreasing their crypto-related investments. However, less than 50 per cent claimed they would increase their crypto investments, with the rest planning to hold what they already had.

“It’s fascinating to see that despite the widely-publicised concerns...endowments have been factoring crypto-related investments into their allocations, and very few are showing intentions of stepping away,” said Jonathan Watkins, managing editor, Global Custodian and The TRADE.