Crypto Fund Arca Doubled Down on UST Amid Stablecoin’s Collapse

“UST will ultimately maintain its peg,” the hedge fund told partners Tuesday in a note obtained by CoinDesk.

AccessTimeIconMay 11, 2022 at 8:01 p.m. UTC
Updated May 11, 2023 at 6:50 p.m. UTC

Crypto hedge fund Arca is one of many likely suffering considerable fallout from the sudden and dramatic collapse of the Terra blockchain’s LUNA-powered stablecoin, UST.

The firm, which manages $500 million in assets, told its limited partners in a note sent out Tuesday it believed Terra’s teetering UST stablecoin would eventually regain its peg and concluded the situation created a buying opportunity.

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  • Arca said in the note it held an ad hoc investment and risk committee meeting to discuss the situation. On Monday night, UST had fallen to a low of 63 cents and LUNA was trading at $24.60; as of press time on Wednesday, UST was still languishing well below $1 at 63 cents and LUNA had tanked below $1.15, according to CoinGecko.

    “After this analysis, we felt, and continue to feel, that UST will ultimately maintain its peg and a number of attractive opportunities had become available,” Arca CEO Rayne Steinberg wrote to investors on Tuesday. “For example, we were able to purchase UST at a significant discount to par in the DYF (Digital Yield Fund) and then deposit with FTX who were paying 100% APY (annual percentage yield) given the buyer/seller imbalance during peak fear.”

    Arca declined to comment. FTX, a crypto exchange, didn't reply to a request for comment.

    Arca runs a Digital Assets Fund, in which LUNA is a core holding, according to the note. UST, meanwhile, is a core stablecoin in the firm’s Digital Yield Fund, the firm said in the letter. Galaxy Digital’s Vision Hill unit is an anchor investor in Arca. Galaxy boss Mike Novogratz famously inked a prominent LUNA tattoo on his left arm in January.

    “We have significant experience in distressed situations from 2008/2009 up to and including SUSHI and LEO (Bitfinex) in recent years,” Steinberg wrote in the note, referring to past crises. “We welcome these opportunities to be buyers when others are fearful.”

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    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

    Ian Allison

    Ian Allison is an award-winning senior reporter at CoinDesk. He holds ETH.


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