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Galaxy Digital Announces Fourth Quarter 2020 Financial Results
Galaxy Digital Holdings Ltd. (TSX: GLXY) (“Galaxy Digital” the “Company” or “GDH Ltd.”) today released financial results for the year ended December 31, 2020 for both itself and Galaxy Digital Holdings LP (the “Partnership” or “GDH LP”).
“I am proud to share the results of Galaxy Digital’s transformational fourth quarter, as net comprehensive income increased over 1,100%, AUM increased over 98%, and counterparty trading volumes increased over 80%,” said Michael Novogratz, Founder and CEO of Galaxy Digital. “That dramatic growth accelerated further into the first quarter, which we expect to be another record quarter.”
“Moreover, and as a key component of our growth strategy, I am pleased to announce we are actively preparing for a U.S. listing in the second half of 2021. I am also excited to welcome industry veteran Alex Ioffe as our new Chief Financial Officer, and I want to thank Ash Prithipaul for his significant contributions and for leaving Galaxy well positioned for even brighter days ahead. We believe our industry is at an inflection point as we participate in a once in a lifetime secular shift into cryptocurrencies as an institutionalized asset class. Galaxy Digital is committed to leading our clients and the industry through this transformation.”
Select Financial Highlights for the Fourth Quarter 2020, compared to Fourth Quarter 2019
- Net comprehensive income1 increased 1,175% to $335.7 million, from a net comprehensive loss of $31.2 million in the prior year period.
- The increase was primarily a result of realized and unrealized gains on digital assets and on investments, coupled with strong contributions from our trading business, partially offset by higher operating expenses.
- Income from our trading business increased 842% to $238.7 million, from a loss of $32.2 million in the prior period.
- Fair Value of Net Asset Holdings3 increased 272% to $813.5 million, from $218.7 million in the prior year period.
- The increase was primarily a result of unrealized gains on digital assets and on investments.
- The Partnership had a material holding in bitcoin of $433.0 million as of December 31, 2020, an increase of $351.8 million from December 31, 2019, excluding non-controlling interests.
- Investments stood at $260.4 million as of December 31, 2020, an increase of $102.2 million from December 31, 2019. The change was primarily due to the increase in unrealized gains and $39.3 million of new capital deployed by the Principal Investments team during the year, which were partially offset by the sale of some investments.
Operating Highlights and Other Updates for the Fourth Quarter 2020, compared to Third Quarter 2020
- Galaxy Digital Trading (“GDT”) generated a record in: counterparty trading volumes, the size of its counterparty loan book, and in gross counterparty loan book originations in the fourth quarter 2020, compared to the third quarter 2020.
- In the quarter ended December 31, 2020, GDT counterparty volumes were up 80%+ sequentially quarter over quarter and 230%+ year over year.
- In the quarter ended December 31, 2020, GDT’s counterparty loan book grew in excess of 300% to approximately $110 million, and the Company grew gross counterparty loan originations in excess of 90% to approximately $110 million.
- Galaxy Digital Asset Management (“GDAM”) reported assets under management (“AUM”) of $807.3 million as of December 31, 2020, an increase of over 98% from $407.4 million as of September 30, 2020. AUM consisted of $482.3 million in GDAM’s Galaxy Fund Management products, and $325.0 million in the Galaxy Interactive fund.
- Recent product launches include the CI Galaxy Bitcoin Fund (Ticker: BTCG), a TSX-listed closed end mutual fund in partnership with CI Financial. Additionally, the Bloomberg Galaxy Bitcoin Index (Ticker: BTC) went live.
- Galaxy Bitcoin Fund, LP, Galaxy Institutional Bitcoin Fund, LP, and Galaxy Institutional Bitcoin Fund, Ltd. (collectively the “Bitcoin Funds”) track the Bloomberg CFIX pricing of bitcoin (“XBT”), and the XBT returned 170.8% in the fourth quarter of 2020, and 305.6% for the year ended December 31, 2020.
- Galaxy Benchmark Crypto Index Fund LP (the “Index Fund”) is a passively managed index fund which tracks the Bloomberg Galaxy Crypto Index (the “BGCI”). The BGCI returned 120.5% in the fourth quarter of 2020 and 276.7% for the year ended December 31, 2020.
- Galaxy Digital Investment Banking (“GDIB”) continued to make progress for clients across financing, mergers and acquisitions, and other strategic matters, with several active mandates in various stages of execution.
- GDIB recognized an advisory fee from serving as sell-side advisor to Blockfolio on its announced sale to FTX Trading Limited for $150.0 million, which closed in October 2020. Blockfolio is a leading mobile app for cryptocurrency portfolio tracking and management and has over six million users globally.
- Principal Investments: The Company completed seven new investments in companies and held approximately 70 investments across 50 portfolio companies as of December 31, 2020.
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1 |
Excluding non-controlling interests (“NCI”). |
2 |
AUM is an internal estimate inclusive of a sub-advised fund, committed capital in a closed-end vehicle, and seed investments by affiliates. Changes in AUM are generally the result of performance, contributions, and withdrawals. |
3 |
This supplementary financial measure is defined as Digital assets plus Investments, less Digital assets sold short, less Investments sold short, less Non-controlling interests. |
Operating Highlights and Other Updates through March 22, 2021
- The Company has appointed Alex Ioffe as its new Chief Financial Officer, effective April 1, 2021. Mr. Ioffe was most recently the CFO of Virtu Financial and prior to that spent over 15 years as CFO for the brokerage business at Interactive Brokers. Mr. Ioffe is taking over the role from Ashwin Prithipaul, who is stepping down to spend more time with his family and will be remaining on through the second quarter of 2021 to ensure a smooth transition.
- Galaxy Digital Trading (“GDT”) expects to generate records in: counterparty trading volumes, the size of its counterparty loan book, and in gross counterparty loan book originations in the first quarter 2021.
- In the period between January 1, 2021 and March 22, 2021, GDT counterparty trading volumes continued significant growth, up 40%+ from the quarter ended December 31, 2020, and over 270% year over year.
- GDT continued to experience strong growth in the Company’s counterparty loan book for the period from January 1, 2021 to March 22, 2021, increasing in excess of 240% to approximately $380 million, and grew gross counterparty loan originations in excess of 400% since December 31, 2020 to approximately $560 million.
- Galaxy Digital Asset Management (“GDAM”) expects to report preliminary assets under management (“AUM”) of $1.24 billion as of March 22, 2021. AUM consisted of $911.0 million in GDAM’s Galaxy Fund Management products, and $325.0 million in the Galaxy Interactive fund.
- Recent product launches include: the CI Galaxy Bitcoin ETF (Ticker: BTCX), and the Galaxy Ethereum Funds. The Galaxy Ethereum Funds track the newly launched Bloomberg Galaxy Ethereum Index (Ticker: XET), the third in the Bloomberg-Galaxy family of indices.
- In March 2021, Morgan Stanley began offering its wealth management clients access to bitcoin funds, including the Galaxy Bitcoin Fund LP, and the Galaxy Institutional Bitcoin Fund LP.
- Galaxy Bitcoin Fund, LP, Galaxy Institutional Bitcoin Fund, LP, and Galaxy Institutional Bitcoin Fund, Ltd. (collectively the “Bitcoin Funds”) track the Bloomberg CFIX pricing of bitcoin (“XBT”), and the XBT has returned 92.0% on a year-to-date basis through March 22, 2021.
- Galaxy Benchmark Crypto Index Fund LP (the “Index Fund”) is a passively managed index fund which tracks the Bloomberg Galaxy Crypto Index (the “BGCI”). The BGCI has returned 105.6% on a year to date basis through March 22, 2021.
- Galaxy Digital Investment Banking (“GDIB”) continued to make progress for clients across financing, mergers and acquisitions, and other strategic matters, with several active mandates in various stages of execution.
- Key activities as of March 22, 2021 include consulting on a recent cryptocurrency company’s fundraising round.
- GDIB also acted as a Strategic Advisor in connection with a public offering in the FinTech space.
- GDIB increased client coverage to 90%+ of its target universe.
- Galaxy Digital Mining (“GDM”) established its own proprietary bitcoin mining operation, hosting its machines at a third-party data center in the United States, and has begun proprietary mining.
- GDM closed its first two mining financing deals.
- GDM has built a strong pipeline, speaking with over 70+ companies in the space.
- Principal Investments: The Company made 12 new investments and now holds approximately 80 investments across approximately 60 portfolio companies.
- The Company recognized a liquidity event of over $125 million from one of its portfolio companies during the first quarter 2021.
- There was no significant change in the Company’s digital asset holdings (excluding non-controlling interests) since December 31, 2020, and the Company has, as a result, benefited from the increase in asset prices since the start of the year.
Select Financial Highlights for the Fiscal Year 2020 compared to Fiscal Year 2019
- Net comprehensive income increased 1,396% to $385.5 million, from $25.8 million in the prior year.
- The increase was primarily a result of realized and unrealized gains on digital assets and on investments, coupled with strong contributions from our trading business, partially offset by higher operating expenses.
- Income from our trading business increased 202% to $270.9 million, from $89.6 million in the prior year.
- Fair Value of Net Asset Holdings increased 272% to $813.5 million, from $218.7 million in the prior year.
- The increase was primarily a result of realized and unrealized gains on digital assets and on investments.
- The Partnership had a material holding in bitcoin of $433.0 million as of December 31, 2020, an increase of $351.8 million from December 31, 2019, excluding non-controlling interests.
- Investments stood at $260.4 million as of December 31, 2020, an increase of $102.2 million from December 31, 2019. The change was primarily due to the increase in unrealized gains and $39.3 million of new capital deployed by the Principal Investments team during the year, which were partially offset by the sale of some investments.
Earnings Conference Call
An investor conference call will be held today, March 30, 2021 at 8:30 AM Eastern Time. A live webcast with the ability to ask questions will be available at: https://www.galaxydigital.io/investor-relations/ or directly at: http://public.viavid.com/index.php?id=143959. The conference call can also be accessed by investors in the United States or Canada by dialing 1-877-407-0789, or 1-201-689-8562 (outside the U.S. and Canada). A replay of the webcast will be available and can be accessed in the same manner as the live webcast on the Company’s Investor Relations website. Through April 27, 2021, the recording will also be available by dialing +1-844-512-2921, or 1-412-317-6671 (outside the U.S. and Canada) passcode: 13717682.
Fintech PR
FXGiants Online Trading Platform Launches Bonus Initiative to Reward Traders
HAMILTON, Bermuda, Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — FXGiants has recently launched a series of exciting bonuses. Participants on the FXGiants‘ online trading platform can now amplify their trading potential with a broad spectrum of bonuses that are tailored to fit different trading needs. These bonuses not only add extra value but also act as a safety net for traders to explore the financial markets without risking too much.
“Our goal with these deposit bonus options is to empower traders of all levels,” said Christopher Oates, the spokesperson for FXGiants. “Under this scheme, we have diverse categories, including Bonus Maximiser, Booster Bonus, and the Bonus Advantage. These bonuses are designed to provide flexibility to clients as they trade on the FXGiants online trading platform.”
Exploring the FXGiants Bonus Options
The bonus options at FXGiants come with versatile advantages. The Bonus Maximiser provides a full 100% boost on all deposits without limit, whereas the Booster Bonus offers a 40% bonus on all deposits up to $4,000 for traders who want to moderately enhance their capital. On the other hand, the Bonus Advantage provides a 60% bonus on deposits up to $5,000, giving traders a better handle on risk. These bonuses enhance the trading experience on the FXGiants online trading platform.
“At FXGiants, we are committed to a trading environment that meets the evolving needs of our clients,” Oates added. “Our online trading platform is a robust ecosystem designed to support traders with advanced execution, extensive market insights, and continuous improvements. As we move forward, we will keep expanding our offerings to ensure that traders have access to the best resources and support.”
About FXGiants
FXGiants stands out as an international broker providing access to over 300 financial instruments across 6 asset classes. Traders can operate through the popular MetaTrader 4 platform, and benefit from exceptional trading conditions such as competitive spreads, flexible leverage, and fast execution. With deposit boosters, partnership programs, an educational blog, and account types tailored to both novice and experienced traders, FXGiants remains dedicated to delivering a one-stop trading solution.
Terms & Conditions apply. Bonus cannot be withdrawn.
All trading involves risk. It is possible to lose all your capital.
FXGiants is a trade name of Notesco Int Limited; a company incorporated in Anguilla with registration number A000001800 and registered address The Valley, AI2640, Cosely Drive, 1338, AI.
Website: https://www.fxgiants.com/
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/fxgiants-online-trading-platform-launches-bonus-initiative-to-reward-traders-302338463.html
Fintech PR
CKGSB Successfully Hosts 2024 MBA Professor Training Program for Western China
BEIJING, Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) successfully hosted the Western China MBA Professor Training Program in collaboration with the China National MBA Education Supervisory Committee and Shantou University School of Business on December 17 and 18, 2024. 58 professors from over 40 universities in China nationwide, mostly western China, attended this training.
Since 2007, CKGSB has been aspiring to address the pressing disparities in management education between eastern and western China with its MBA professor training program. As of 2024, the program has trained 372 professors from 155 universities across 22 provinces, 4 autonomous regions, 3 direct-administered municipality in China, indirectly impacting tens of thousands of MBA students.
This year, the training focused on social innovation and business for good, a topic many participating professors found lacking in their day-to-day teaching and research. Professor ZHU Rui (Juliet), CKGSB Professor of Marketing and Director of the ESG and Social Innovation Center, led the training. She introduced how CKGSB has been innovating with the integration of business for good in management education, and how our relevant practice-based course has already helped 2,800+ students integrate ESG into their businesses. Professor Zhu also hosted an interactive workshop with the training’s participants on how they may build this idea into their teaching.
Participants shared in their post-program survey that Professor Zhu’s teaching and her ESG Assessment map gave them a new perspective on how to balance profits and social responsibilities. Many also felt inspired on how to bridge the gap between research and practice.
Recognized in CKGSB’s 2022 and 2024 ESG and Social Innovation Reports and honored as a finalist for the 2021 China Social Impact Award by the United Nations and British Chamber of Commerce, this program exemplifies CKGSB’s impact in this critical area. Through partnerships with the government, NGOs, and business schools, this initiative has made significant progress in promoting quality education and reducing inequalities.
For more information on CKGSB’s ESG and social innovation efforts, visit our ESG and social innovation website.
About CKGSB
Established in Beijing in November 2002, CKGSB is China’s first privately-funded and research-driven business school. The school aims to cultivate transformative business leaders with a global vision, sense of social responsibility, innovative mindset, and ability to lead with empathy and compassion (https://english.ckgsb.edu.cn).
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ckgsb-successfully-hosts-2024-mba-professor-training-program-for-western-china-302338458.html
Fintech PR
Wirex Adds VEUR and VCHF Stablecoins to its Platform for Seamless Spending
VADUZ, Liechtenstein, Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Wirex, a global leader in bridging traditional and digital finance, has announced the addition of VNX Euro (VEUR) and VNX Swiss Franc (VCHF) to its platform. With this integration, Wirex users can now spend VEUR and VCHF directly through their Wirex cards, streamlining everyday transactions and enhancing convenience.
Wirex cards allow users to use VEUR and VCHF in various ways. Whether users receive payments in VEUR and/or VCHF, use them for remittances (including cross-border transactions), or sell digital assets for stablecoins instead of fiat, Wirex provides the simplest solution for spending in real life. Users can instantly convert their stablecoins into fiat currency and send them directly to their bank accounts, catering to those who prefer traditional banking options.
Pavel Matveev, Co-founder of Wirex, said: “We’re excited to welcome VNX Euro (VEUR) and VNX Swiss Franc (VCHF) to Wirex. This addition allows our users to effortlessly spend stablecoins in real life, whether for daily purchases, remittances, or managing their digital assets. At Wirex, our goal is to make digital currencies as convenient and versatile as traditional money, and VEUR and VCHF are another step toward achieving that vision.”
Future Features
Additional features will be rolled out later after the launch, complementing the immediate benefits of VEUR and VCHF. These include loans and high-yield X-Accounts, both of which are growing in popularity among Wirex users. Loans offer a smart and tax-efficient way to access liquidity without selling underlying digital assets. Users can leverage their BTC, ETH, SOL, and other digital assets, as collateral for loans in stablecoins, allowing them to benefit from potential appreciation while accessing funds without triggering taxable events.
X-Accounts provide an opportunity for users to earn industry-leading yields of up to 15% APY on their stablecoin balances, enhancing the overall value proposition of holding VEUR and VCHF within the Wirex ecosystem.
Upcoming Advanced Opportunities
VEUR and VCHF have the potential to become preferred options in Wirex’s advanced trading products, such as Wirex DUO and Wirex Multiply. Notably, Euro-backed stablecoins have already demonstrated significantly higher usage among Wirex users than larger USD alternatives, highlighting strong demand for Euro-denominated trading options.
As Wirex explores adding VEUR and VCHF to these products, it aims to further strengthen its position as a leader in digital finance by offering innovative solutions that bridge the gap between traditional finance and digital assets.
Disclaimer: The term “stablecoin” is used herein in relation to VEUR and VCHF for marketing purposes. The reader however shall understand that VEUR and VCHF are fiat-referenced tokens which are described in more detail in the VNX Gold based Fiat Referenced Tokens (FRT) Terms and Conditions which are available for review at www.vnx.li
About VEUR and VCHF
Both VEUR and VCHF are multichain tokens referencing the Euro and Swiss Franc, developed by VNX, generated by a licensed token generator under the Blockchain Act in Liechtenstein. VEUR and VCHF are supported by the reserves ensuring 1:1 parity and represent a reliable digital asset in the crypto world. These tokens combine the stability of fiat currencies with the convenience of crypto, enabling quick, low-cost, and 24/7 accessible cross-border payments while opening new opportunities in DeFi.
About Wirex
Wirex is a prominent UK-based digital payments platform with over 6 million customers spread across 130 countries. It offers secure accounts, making it easy for users to store, purchase, and exchange multiple currencies seamlessly. As a principal member of both Visa and Mastercard, Wirex goes beyond traditional services, embracing the evolving trends of Web3 to provide mainstream access to digital finance and wealth management. Having processed transactions totalling $20 billion, Wirex aims to contribute to the adoption of a cashless society by facilitating straightforward transactions in various currencies worldwide. Wirex is simplifying digital payments, making it more accessible and convenient for people across the globe.
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2586836/Wirex_VEUR_VCHF.jpg
Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2031625/5077408/Wirex_Logo.jpg
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/wirex-adds-veur-and-vchf-stablecoins-to-its-platform-for-seamless-spending-302338369.html
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