Bitwise: Bolstering European Research Capabilities
Bitwise, a leading crypto specialist asset manager, has announced a significant expansion of its European research team with the appointment of Max Shannon as Senior Research Associate. This strategic move underscores Bitwise’s ongoing commitment to rigorous research and comprehensive investor education, with the ultimate goal of making crypto assets more widely accessible to the broader investment community.
The enhanced team will also directly support Bitwise’s growing suite of German-domiciled crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs), which include various single-asset strategies, diversified crypto baskets, and index-based staking ETPs.
Max Shannon: Deep Token Analysis Expertise
Max Shannon joins Bitwise bringing a robust background in crucial areas such as token analysis, crypto equities, and data-driven research methodologies. In his new role, Shannon is poised to play a pivotal part in expanding Bitwise’s thought leadership within the dynamic field of crypto investing.
His expertise is expected to significantly contribute to the firm’s analytical depth, providing more granular and sophisticated insights into the digital asset market for their diverse client base.
Data-Centric Research: A Strategic Fit
Prior to his appointment at Bitwise, Max Shannon served as a Crypto & Equity Research Analyst at CoinShares, where he specialized in liquid tokens and publicly listed crypto-related companies. His extensive experience includes adept Python programming skills and hands-on work in analyzing large financial datasets. These quantitative and analytical capabilities make him an exceptionally strong fit for Bitwise’s data-centric research approach, which emphasizes rigorous, research-first investment strategies to deliver institutional-grade insights.
Altcoin Research: Enhancing Institutional Insights
Dr. André Dragosch, Head of Research, Europe at Bitwise, emphasized the strategic importance of Shannon’s appointment. He stated, “Max’s dual strengths in granular token evaluation and quantitative data analysis align perfectly with our commitment to rigorous, research-first investment strategies.
His appointment further strengthens our capabilities in altcoin research and underscores our dedication to delivering institutional-grade insights to our European clients and the investment community.” This highlights Bitwise’s focus on providing deep dives into a wide range of digital assets beyond just Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Bitwise Debut in the European Market: Expanding Access
Bitwise made its debut in the European market on June 18, 2020, and has since rapidly expanded its product portfolio. Its offerings are meticulously designed to integrate seamlessly into traditional investment portfolios, providing exposure to crypto assets through regulated vehicles that mitigate the operational risks associated with holding physical cryptocurrency wallets.
Depending on the investor’s country of residence and local requirements, some of these offerings are accessible via leading brokerage platforms, featuring robust structures like physical redemption.
Investor Education: Commitment to Transparency
Bitwise maintains a strong commitment to investor education and market transparency, regularly publishing freely available analysis on the latest developments within the crypto sector. This extensive research includes a weekly commentary, special reports, and deep dives into specific topics.
Examples of their publications include the weekly Crypto Market Compass, the monthly Bitcoin Macro Investor report, and the Crypto Market Espresso, an ad-hoc publication providing timely insights. These resources are designed to keep investors informed and better understand the evolving digital finance landscape.
Crypto Asset Management: Bitwise’s Leadership
Established in 2017, Bitwise has cemented its position as one of the world’s leading crypto specialist asset managers, partnering with thousands of financial advisors, family offices, and institutional investors globally to facilitate access to crypto opportunities.
The firm boasts a strong track record of excellence, managing a broad suite of index and active solutions across ETPs, separately managed accounts, private funds, and hedge fund strategies in both the U.S. and Europe. In Europe, Bitwise (formerly ETC Group) has developed an innovative suite of crypto ETPs, including Europe’s most traded Bitcoin ETP and the first diversified Crypto Basket ETP replicating an MSCI digital assets index, all underpinned by secure offline cold storage through regulated custodians.
