Are Banks Starting to Embrace Cryptocurrency?

With the abundance of cryptocurrency options available, this particular fintech niche has become simply too big to ignore. Banking institutions have had to adapt.

Cryptocurrency has been a polarizing topic ever since it was first introduced and became widely known.

Many people have been on the fence about it, not knowing what to think or not having acquired enough knowledge about how digital assets work, etc. Some have decided to fully embrace it and give it their full backing based on what they have learned.

However, some have been rigid in their stance about it, citing concerns or fears about cryptocurrency as they don’t know enough or don’t trust it because of its decentralized and unregulated nature. Financial institutions have been among those that have held their position, although there has been a shifting trend in recent years.

Are banks starting to embrace cryptocurrency?

With the abundance of cryptocurrency options available, including new options that are entering the market as visible through the Wall Street Pepe presale, this particular fintech niche has become simply too big to ignore.

Banking institutions have had to adapt, especially if they want to remain relevant to as many people as possible. Findings have estimated that more than 580 million people worldwide hold crypto. That’s a potentially big pool of customers that could be lost if they decide to use the virtual asset as their predominant form of currency over traditional fiat options.

Indeed, there have been instances where some banks have decided they must act. The likes of JP Morgan have embraced crypto by launching their own stablecoin in 2019. The Bank of America and Ally Bank also began to embrace cryptocurrency, allowing their customers to interact with businesses that used or offered virtual currency.

There are several benefits that banks can obtain by embracing cryptocurrency, including:

Trading

When banks embrace cryptocurrency and facilitate it for trading purposes, they can benefit by allowing their customers to buy, sell, or trade digital assets on their platforms/exchanges. They can then take a percentage as a transaction fee. Goldman Sachs has already implemented a system like this.

Custody

By providing people with the ability to purchase cryptocurrency, banks could offer customers a storage method, such as using a wallet that the bank owns. If this happens, they could charge fees for using it, which can help them to generate additional income. Deutsche Bank has implemented this within its offerings.

Tokenization

Goldman Sachs has created a tokenization platform that allows investors to digitalize their real-world assets, allowing them to generate income through the fees obtained through this process.

Blockchain

The usage of blockchain technology can come with many benefits for financial institutions that embrace cryptocurrency. The ledger can improve and enhance the level of security banks provide to customers. Users of blockchain will know that it can make transactions more secure through additional security features. Anonymity, transparency, and encryption are just a few of the popular advantages. These are things that fiat currency is unable to offer users.

New Products

Cryptocurrency can also help banks to provide new services or products to customers. With transactions quicker in speed and often more cost-effective, financial institutions can look to try and attract customers by offering products or services that can benefit them. For instance, institutions could earn crypto-based interest, given its volatility, which could be something that appeals to those looking to get more for their money.

Are there any challenges that have stopped financial institutions from embracing cryptocurrency?

Naturally, there are still many financial institutions that haven’t budged from their hard stance regarding cryptocurrency. Some will have become more favorable, but there are still some concerns.

As noted, the decentralized and unregulated nature is still something that creates fear across the industry. They would have a hard time trying to control it, as they wouldn’t be able to incorporate them into their own traditional fiat systems.

Market volatility is a huge concern, as this can create problems for a bank when they aren’t as desired, in demand, or as liquid as desired. Some are also concerned about their legitimacy, as it can become difficult to carry out checks about where they came from or who owns them.

Regulatory changes can also have a huge impact on the future. The uncertainty regarding potential changes (whether positive or negative) can be enough of a challenge to stop financial institutions from looking to embrace them fully.