New law in Germany has been adopted, permitting more than 4,000 institutional investment firms to invest billions in cryptocurrency assets. A legislation that goes into effect on Monday would allow so-called Spezialfonds (special funds) with pre-determined investing guidelines to invest in digital assets. Companies would be permitted to invest up to 20% of their capital in crypto assets.
Spezialfonds, for example, are only available to institutional investors such as insurance and pension funds. They handle about €1.8 trillion ($2.1 trillion) in assets, zero of which are in cryptocurrency. As a result, if they invest up to their legal maximum, the cryptocurrency market may see up to $422 billion in investment.
The use of cryptocurrencies by institutional investors has risen dramatically in the last year. The value of crypto assets has continued to climb, with a tiny number of wealthy individuals controlling the majority of assets.
As the cryptos become more well-known, more of these investors are interested in getting involved. The law was enacted by Germany’s federal parliament, the Bundestag, and it will be announced by the country’s Federal Council as soon as possible.
Frank Schäffler, a lawmaker, believes the new legislation will widen adoption of the new assets. Other governments, on the contrary, are wary about allowing cryptocurrencies to infiltrate their economies.
In Germany, the new legislation represents a watershed moment in the general use of crypto assets. Furthermore, the law’s adoption coincides with significant financial sector investments. Mike Novogratz, the CEO of cryptocurrency-focused Galaxy Investment Partners, and famed hedge fund manager Alan Howard are among them.
The majority of German cryptocurrency specialists believe that this decision is a positive step for the country. To be sure, the evolution will make the Europe’s economic power house a top financial investment destination.
“A majority of funds will stick well below the 20% mark in the initial stages,” according to Tim Kreutzmann, a crypto-assets specialist at BVI, Germany’s fund industry association. On the one side, institutional investors, such as insurance companies, are subject to stringent regulatory restrictions when it comes to their investing strategy. They might, on the contrary, desire to buy in crypto.”
Crypto fluctuations is unappealing, according to Kamil Kaczmarski, a financial services consultant at Oliver Wyman LLC. This is particularly true for German investors, who have a reputation for being cautious. Many funds, according to Kaczmarski, will perform minor tests with virtual currencies before approaching the barrier in a course of five years.
A spokesperson for Deutsche Bank AG’s asset management DWS group, for example, stated that the company is presently watching the situation. However, she stated that they do not intend to put aside cash for the purchase of cryptocurrency at this time. Similar concerns were voiced by a representative for DekaBank, one of Germany’s most renowned asset managers. DekaBank has been exploring investing in cryptoassets for some time and has yet to make a formal commitment.
