Bitwise CEO Believes the Era of Confrontation Between Banks and Bitcoin is Coming to an End

cryptonews.ruPublished on 2026-08-16Last updated on 2026-08-16

Abstract

Wall Street and global financial institutions are accelerating their entry into the digital asset market, blurring the lines between traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi). According to Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley, the era of being "long on bitcoin and short on bank stocks" is over, as financial giants pivot towards embracing crypto. Horsley noted two asset managers with over $1 trillion in assets approved crypto products this summer despite a bear market, signaling widespread institutional belief in the industry's future. Sygnum's CIO, Fabian Döri, observes a structural shift where banks have moved from resisting digital assets to actively creating, supporting, and distributing them through custody, tokenization, and regulated trading. Anchorage Digital CEO Nathan McCauley adds that his firm's client base increasingly reflects the convergence of traditional and crypto finance, with large institutions preferring to partner with specialized crypto infrastructure providers rather than building in-house systems. Major firms like Swissquote, DBS Bank, BBVA, BNY Mellon, and affiliates of Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley, and Charles Schwab have entered the crypto space in recent years.

Wall Street and global financial institutions are accelerating their entry into the digital asset market, therefore the boundaries between traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi) are gradually blurring.

Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley believes that the era of "long bitcoin, short the banks" is over, and financial institutions are pivoting to the other side of the crypto industry, driving the adoption of digital assets.

Hunter Horsley added that this summer, two financial giants, managing assets worth over $1 trillion, approved the launch of crypto products despite the bear market.

This year, everyone put on a crypto t-shirt. Now everyone is working for the crypto industry, — Horsley explained the steps of the mentioned institutions and their belief in the success of the innovative industry.

Sygnum's Chief Investment Officer Fabian Dori also believes that the relationship between banks and the crypto industry has undergone structural changes:

Banks have transitioned from resisting digital assets to creating, supporting, and distributing them through custody, tokenization, and regulatory-compliant trading.

Anchorage Digital CEO Nathan McCauley shared information that over the past two years, the company's client base increasingly reflects the convergence of traditional and crypto finance. Large financial institutions typically prefer to partner with specialized companies focused on crypto infrastructure rather than building their own technology systems.

In recent years, more and more financial institutions have entered the crypto market, including: Swissquote, DBS Bank, BBVA, BNY Mellon, entities affiliated with Credit Suisse, as well as Morgan Stanley and Charles Schwab.

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Related Questions

QWhat does Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley believe has ended, according to the article?

AHunter Horsley believes the era of 'going long on bitcoin and short on bank stocks' has ended.

QHow is the relationship between banks and the cryptocurrency industry changing, as described by Sygnum's Fabian Dori?

AFabian Dori states that banks have moved from resisting digital assets to creating, supporting, and distributing them through custody, tokenization, and compliant trading.

QAccording to Anchorage Digital CEO Nathan McCauley, what trend is observed in their client base over the last two years?

ANathan McCauley observes that their client base increasingly reflects the convergence of traditional and crypto finance, with large institutions preferring to partner with specialized crypto infrastructure companies.

QWhat significant action did two financial giants take this summer, as mentioned in the article?

AThis summer, two financial giants with over $1 trillion in assets under management approved the launch of crypto products despite the bear market.

QWhich traditional financial institutions are named as having entered the crypto market in recent years?

AThe institutions named include Swissquote, DBS Bank, BBVA, BNY Mellon, entities affiliated with Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley, and Charles Schwab.

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