The promises of Bitcoin-backed loans for institutional portfolios | Opinion

As we move deeper into 2024, the idea of utilizing Bitcoin (BTC) as collateral for lending is becoming increasingly common. Individuals and businesses around the globe are putting up their Bitcoin in exchange for significant liquid capital. 

Think about how real estate investors use mortgages. They’ve long known that borrowing against an asset they believe will appreciate is a smart move. Why sell something you think is going up in value when you can borrow against it instead? When comparing Bitcoin loans to mortgage financing in real estate, both types of loans operate under the assumption that these assets will appreciate over the long run—why sell something you think is going up in value when you can borrow against it instead?

Bitcoin vs. real estate financing

Physical property almost always holds or grows its value because it is a limited resource. The same can be said about Bitcoin, as it has a capped supply. This scarcity is exactly what makes mortgages an important tool in real estate investing, and Bitcoin-backed loans provide a similar proposition. 

However, Bitcoin offers unique advantages that set it apart from traditional collateral.

With a daily trading volume of $40 billion and a 24/7 global market, Bitcoin is incredibly liquid. This substantial and relatively untapped liquidity allows for large positions to be liquidated in minutes at any time, ensuring lenders utilizing it as collateral can recoup their funds with minimal delay or loss—significantly reducing the risk of a loan. Moreover, Bitcoin’s low correlation with traditional asset classes makes it an attractive diversification tool for institutional investors. Compare this to mortgage financing, where selling a property can take weeks or months, involving a complex process with multiple steps. The laborious liquidation process in real estate means that lenders face greater risk in recovering value in the event of a default, as they may encounter delays, market fluctuations, and potential losses.

Structural parallels: Bitcoin loans and equity financing

While being built around the same logic as real estate financing, Bitcoin-backed loans are actually more structurally similar to equity financing. When investors engage in equity financing, they are subject to margin calls. For example, if the stock price drops, the bank may ask the investor to deposit cash or sell some of their stock to cover the loan. Bitcoin-backed loans work in the same way but offer several benefits.

One key advantage is that Bitcoin is borderless. Unlike traditional assets, which can vary significantly in quality due to regulatory and exchange differences by jurisdiction, Bitcoin is the same to everyone and everywhere. It remains uniform regardless of geography. This means that lending against Bitcoin is not affected by the complexities of varying jurisdictions or property rights that often complicate traditional lending. Whether the borrower is in Canada or Argentina, the Bitcoin used as collateral is identical, greatly simplifying the lending process and eliminating many of the geographic risks associated with traditional cross-border financing.

Institutional investors: Attractive yields in a declining rate environment

The economics of Bitcoin-backed lending are particularly attractive in the current financial landscape. As investors start to have concerns that traditional fixed-income products may struggle to provide meaningful yields in a declining rate environment, Bitcoin-backed loans offer significantly higher interest rates, often in the 12-14% range. This premium exists due to the perceived risk in the digital asset industry, but as more traditional institutions enter the space, we can expect this premium to decrease over time.

Looking forward, we can anticipate the development of a secondary market for syndicated Bitcoin-backed loans, similar to traditional financing.  In addition, a securitization product may develop in a way similar to that of the mortgage-backed securities market. This would further professionalize the industry, increase liquidity, and potentially lead to even more attractive products and rates for lenders and borrowers alike.

For institutional investors, Bitcoin-backed lending presents a compelling alternative to traditional fixed-income investments like money market funds and treasuries, especially in a declining interest rate environment. While the price of Bitcoin can be volatile, the over-collateralized structure and ability for near-instant liquidation of collateral provides substantial security for the protection of capital.

It’s important to note that the Bitcoin lending industry is still in its early stages, comparable to the first inning of residential mortgages. Currently, only an estimated 2% of Bitcoin has leverage on it, compared to roughly 60% of American homes. As Bitcoin continues to grow and stabilize, and as people become more comfortable using it as collateral, the market size for Bitcoin-backed loans is poised for immense growth.

As traditional financial institutions begin to enter this space, it’s clear that Bitcoin-backed lending is moving from the fringes to the mainstream of finance. However, it’s the established digital asset firms that currently hold the expertise and experience in this unique market.

Ultimately, Bitcoin-backed lending represents a significant evolution in the world of finance. It combines the best aspects of traditional lending with the unique properties of Bitcoin, offering unparalleled liquidity, global accessibility, and potentially higher yields. As the market matures and becomes more regulated, we can expect to see increased participation from institutional investors, further legitimizing and expanding this exciting new frontier in lending.

Combined with the benefits that come with an inherently digital currency and always-on market, financing through Bitcoin loans is becoming an increasingly attractive option for many businesses.

As the financial landscape evolves, Bitcoin-backed loans are likely to become a significant player in the future of finance as more businesses recognize the unique opportunities these arrangements can offer.

Adam Reeds

Adam Reeds is the co-founder and CEO of Ledn, a global company regulated in the Cayman Islands that focuses on building financial products to help people grow their digital wealth. Before co-founding Ledn, Adam spent ten years at Dream Asset Management, where he developed, built, and financed a $1.5 billion portfolio of renewable power projects. It was Bitcoin’s connection with energy that brought Adam into Bitcoin mining, where he and his co-founder identified a gap in financing digital assets. Today, Ledn is a broad financial services platform with clients in over 120 countries and over $6B in digital asset-backed loans since its inception. Adam is a graduate of the HBA program at the Richard Ivey School of Business and also holds a Bachelor of Engineering Science from the University of Western Ontario.