Midway through 2023, a number of important trends are contributing to an increased focus on risk management and insurance for companies operating in the digital asset ecosystem, panelists said during a recent webcast hosted by Lockton’s Emerging Asset Protection (LEAP) team.
Even as the industry has struggled to regain the trust and confidence it lost after setbacks in 2022, Fortune 100 companies continue to invest in the space. Digital assets are clearly here to stay, despite the recent increase in regulatory attention.
Of particular note, regulatory efforts are underway in the U.K., EU, United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong, where the industry is beginning to secure the regulatory clarity it has been seeking for several years. While the U.S. has lagged behind these markets, recently proposed legislation is giving the industry hope that it will start to provide much-needed legislative guidance in the near future.
At the same time, the financial industry’s difficulties in 2023 have left some digital asset companies struggling to find banking partners. Crypto mergers and acquisitions, meanwhile, are continuing at an elevated pace. The possibility of more insolvencies in the second half of the year also looms amid economic uncertainty and continued fallout from 2022.
All of these trends have helped put a spotlight on risk management and insurance for the digital asset industry. Consumers, investors, regulators and other stakeholders expect digital asset companies to invest in strong risk controls and robust insurance programs, and the industry is increasingly recognizing the value of such strategies.
Hear more from the LEAP team. Watch a replay of the webcast below.