Bitcoin Not a Long-Term Allocation, Says Man Group CEO

Luke Ellis said he "dabbled" in bitcoin but sees himself as a trader rather than a hodler.

AccessTimeIconMar 12, 2021 at 3:51 p.m. UTC
Updated Sep 14, 2021 at 12:25 p.m. UTC

Luke Ellis, CEO of U.K. hedge fund Man Group, sees bitcoin as a trading instrument rather than a long-term asset allocation.

  • Appearing on CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Friday, Ellis revealed that he had "dabbled" in bitcoin but sees himself as a trader rather than a HODler.
  • "I see it as a trading instrument, so we trade around it and try to provide some liquidity into the market," he told CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin.
  • Ellis also said he did not think it was necessary for companies to hold bitcoin on their balance sheets, describing this as "confusing" considering the business use case relative to the inherent speculation.
  • "I don't think companies are supposed to be speculate with their cash balances," he added.
  • Large companies such as Tesla and MicroStrategy have disclosed large treasury investments in bitcoin in recent months.
  • Man Group is a London-based hedge fund, managing around $123.6 billion for its mostly institutional clients.

DISCLOSURE

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase stock outright in DCG.


Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk’s longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.


Read more about