巴克萊銀行在市場動盪之際投資加密貨幣

據報道，巴克萊銀行將收購加密貨幣公司 Copper 的股份，該公司的投資者包括英國前財政大臣菲利普·哈蒙德 (Philip Hammond)。據報道，這筆投資額為「數百萬」美元，將加入 Copper 現有的融資輪次，為機構加密貨幣投資者提供託管、大宗經紀和結算服務。

Barclays Acquires Stake in Crypto Company Amid Market Turmoil

巴克萊銀行在市場動盪之際收購加密貨幣公司股份

London, July 24, 2023 - Barclays, the British multinational investment bank, is reportedly investing in Copper, a cryptocurrency company that caters to institutional investors. The investment, reportedly in the "few million" dollar range, comes amidst a challenging year for the cryptocurrency market, marked by price volatility, exchange bankruptcies, and a general downturn in risk assets due to economic uncertainty.

倫敦，2023 年 7 月 24 日 - 據報道，英國跨國投資銀行巴克萊正在投資一家面向機構投資者的加密貨幣公司 Copper。據報道，這筆投資在「數百萬」美元範圍內，正值加密貨幣市場充滿挑戰的一年，其特點是價格波動、交易所破產以及由於經濟不確定性導致風險資產普遍下滑。

Copper, whose investors include former U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond, offers custody, prime brokerage, and settlement services for crypto assets. Barclays' investment is part of a funding round for the company, sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg on Sunday.

Copper 的投資者包括英國前財政大臣菲利普·哈蒙德 (Philip Hammond)，該公司為加密資產提供託管、大宗經紀和結算服務。知情人士週日告訴彭博社，巴克萊銀行的投資是該公司一輪融資的一部分。

Barclays and Copper declined to comment on the investment when contacted by PYMNTS. The move comes at a time when funding for private crypto companies has declined significantly. Venture capital investments in crypto startups have fallen in recent months, impacted by a combination of economic factors affecting cryptocurrencies, public stocks, and venture capital assets.

當 PYMNTS 聯繫巴克萊和銅業時，他們拒絕對這項投資發表評論。此舉發生之際，私人加密貨幣公司的資金大幅下降。近幾個月來，受影響加密貨幣、公開股票和風險資本資產的經濟因素的綜合影響，對加密新創公司的風險資本投資有所下降。

Once viewed as a relatively bulletproof sector, propelled by hype and unwavering optimism, the cryptocurrency industry has faced headwinds in 2023. Despite receiving approximately $9.85 billion in venture funding in the first quarter, analysts attribute this to the lengthy lead time required to finalize venture capital deals.

加密貨幣產業一度被視為相對堅不可摧的產業，但在炒作和堅定樂觀情緒的推動下，加密貨幣產業在2023 年卻面臨逆風。儘管第一季獲得了約98.5 億美元的風險投資，但分析師將其歸因於完成創投所需的漫長準備時間交易。

Robert Le, a FinTech analyst at PitchBook, notes that while these deals were initiated in November and December of 2022, the market was already experiencing a slowdown at the time. In the second quarter, crypto companies received $6.76 billion in funding, the lowest level in a year, according to Le.

PitchBook 的金融科技分析師 Robert Le 指出，雖然這些交易是在 2022 年 11 月和 12 月啟動的，但當時市場已經開始放緩。 Le 表示，第二季度，加密貨幣公司獲得了 67.6 億美元的融資，為一年來的最低水準。

David Pakman, managing partner at CoinFund, warns of looming challenges for the crypto industry, including layoffs and lower valuations. He estimates that seed valuations have declined by approximately 20%, Series A valuations by 50%, and Series B and beyond by 70%. Pakman advises companies he supports to maintain sufficient cash reserves to endure up to two years of financial hardship.

CoinFund 管理合夥人 David Pakman 警告稱，加密產業面臨迫在眉睫的挑戰，包括裁員和估值降低。他估計種子輪估值下降了約 20%，A 輪估值下降了 50%，B 輪及以上估值下降了 70%。帕克曼建議他支持的公司保持足夠的現金儲備，以承受長達兩年的財務困難。

Despite the current market volatility, Barclays' investment in Copper signals a recognition of the potential for cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology in the financial sector. As the industry navigates these challenging times, it remains to be seen how traditional financial institutions like Barclays will adapt to the evolving landscape and the potential opportunities presented by digital assets.

儘管當前市場波動，巴克萊對銅的投資標誌著對加密貨幣和區塊鏈技術在金融領域潛力的認可。隨著產業應對這些充滿挑戰的時代，巴克萊等傳統金融機構將如何適應不斷變化的格局和數位資產帶來的潛在機遇，仍有待觀察。