Crypto buying and selling agency and market maker Wintermute registered a 240% yearly development in conventional finance companies’ exercise in its over-the-counter (OTC) buying and selling desk, in line with a Jan. 17 report.
Conventional monetary establishments performed a pivotal position in reshaping OTC buying and selling in 2024. The report pointed to improved regulatory readability and evolving coverage frameworks as confidence drivers for these establishments.
The report highlighted important drivers, together with the US Securities and Trade Fee’s (SEC) approval of spot Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in January 2024 and the election of a pro-crypto president within the US in November.
Desire for discreet trades
Wintermute’s counterparty quantity information revealed that retail brokers additionally skilled a 549% development price, reflecting broader institutional curiosity.
The surge in buying and selling volumes from institutional gamers could be attributed to their rising demand for off-exchange liquidity. Wintermute’s OTC desk noticed volumes develop 4.13 instances over the earlier yr, pushed by counterparties searching for to put massive trades with out considerably impacting the market.
The demand aligns with establishments’ choice for environment friendly, discreet trades that keep away from the capital inefficiencies related to holding belongings on alternate platforms. The choice drove Wintermute’s OTC volumes to hit new milestones, surpassing its earlier weekly document of $2 billion in 2023 with a single-day quantity of $2.24 billion in November 2024.
Deal with memecoins and challenges
Conventional finance establishments additionally shifted their focus in the case of most popular belongings. Whereas main crypto skilled a 3% decline in buying and selling quantity, different segments like “memecoins” and “forex networks” gained traction.
Memecoins recorded a 210% development, capturing 16.2% of Wintermute’s whole OTC volumes, up from 7.3% in 2023. This displays institutional buyers’ willingness to discover higher-risk belongings for added returns.
Notably, the report famous that as conventional monetary establishments solidified their presence within the OTC market, crypto-native companies confronted mounting strain.
The entry of well-capitalized gamers with entry to scale and aggressive pricing squeezed smaller opponents. Declining market shares for crypto-native companies point out intensifying competitors, with establishments leveraging their sources to dominate the area.