Singapore’s ADDX will recognise crypto assets in its assessment of high-net worth individuals, becoming the first securities firm to take digital money such as bitcoin into consideration.
The move underscores the growing acceptance of digital currencies among financial institutions as they seek a wider range of investors.
ADDX, whose backers include Singapore Exchange, said it would recognise only crypto assets with a higher market value and would apply discount rates when valuing these assets.
“Cryptocurrencies are here to stay. They no longer exist only on the fringes of wealth and investment conversations,” ADDX chief executive Oi-Yee Choo said.
“With a large minority of investors owning crypto, it is reasonable for these digital assets to be recognised as a part of one’s portfolio – not unlike any other assets that can be valued in the marketplace, such as real estate or equity,” Choo said.
Under Singapore’s regulations, individuals need to have at least S$300,000 ($220,000) of income from the past 12 months, S$1 million in net financial assets or S$2 million in net personal assets to qualify as accredited investors.
ADDX said it will accept crypto assets only in the category of net personal assets and will apply a 50% discount rate for bitcoin or ether when calculating the value of these holdings and a 10% discount for the USDC stablecoin.
Crypto assets – once seen as a niche for risk-hungry investors – became more popular during the Covid-19 pandemic. While bitcoin’s value has recently fallen, the overall crypto market is still valued at $1.2 trillion.
- Reuters, with additional editing by George Russell
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