Wilshire, a global investment technology and advisory company, in association with the Financial Times, today announced the launch of a new series of digital asset indexes to help investors understand and navigate this fast expanding market better.

Developed with CryptoCompare, a leading global cryptocurrency market data provider, the FT Wilshire indexes combine CryptoCompare’s market standard exchange ratings and Wilshire’s methodology to aggregate the prices of digital assets from an initial seven of the most highly rated crypto exchanges. Requirements of a minimum A rating and overall score of at least 70 over the previous 12 months mean they have robust Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) policies, as well as legal and regulatory compliance and due diligence processes.

The series of indexes will allow institutional investors to more confidently access an asset class that has previously held greater appeal for retail investors with higher risk tolerances. Wilshire’s proprietary methodology will apply to both individual digital assets and indexes covering over 85% of the market capitalisation on eligible exchanges. This rigorous and innovative approach offers higher levels of data transparency and establishes a set of credible benchmarks.

Digital assets have experienced rapid growth and flourishing innovation. The market capitalisation of the top five cryptocurrencies is estimated to be $1.4 trillion. Links between crypto and fiat currencies are expanding. Regulators are now stepping up with more standard-setting and greater consumer protections.

By aggregating the prices of these consistently highly rated crypto exchanges, Wilshire can build digital asset index products whose values are derived from genuine price discovery.

As digital assets are traded 24/7, Wilshire is also introducing closing times for different geographical regions, giving jurisdictions the flexibility for end-of-day valuation at hours convenient to their time zone. This can help institutions settle derivative contracts and satisfy regulatory obligations. Institutional investors, fund managers and banks are keen to explore the potential of digital assets as global regulators and policymakers seek to harmonise and regulate the market.

The new FT Wilshire Digital Asset Index Series is the latest product development under a brand licensing agreement with the FT, first announced earlier this year. The series will initially include 10 single asset indexes and three multi-asset indexes:

The new indexes, enhanced data and blended prices will be published in real time and feature among the FT’s markets data.

Mark Makepeace, Chief Executive Officer of Wilshire, said: "Our role is to provide the tools and strategy necessary for safe access to new markets for investors. As new digital forms of investment and the adoption of blockchain technologies take shape, the financial services will need help to ensure institutional investors gain safe access and understand the drivers of performance and risk associated with digital assets."

John Ridding, Chief Executive Officer of The Financial Times, said: "Digital assets are a dynamic and fast moving sector with the potential to have considerable impact on financial services and the investment industry. They are drawing the attention of a wider pool of investors and regulators. There is a need and an opportunity to provide investors and readers with authoritative metrics, news and analysis. As a globally trusted source on market trends and innovations, the FT is supportive of enhanced data that helps readers understand the risks as well as the opportunities and informs their perspectives."

Charles Hayter, Chief Executive Officer of CryptoCompare said, "We are seeing a substantial and increasing interest in digital assets from institutional investors. Since 2014, we have worked to develop an extensive and reliable suite of market data to offer access and transparency to this rapidly growing asset class. We look forward to working closely with the Financial Times and Wilshire to provide our trusted digital asset data to build these innovative products offering institutional investors new avenues for digital asset exposure."

About Wilshire

Wilshire is a global provider of market-leading indexes, advanced analytics, and multi-asset investment solutions. A trusted partner to a diverse range of more than 500 institutional investors and financial advisors and intermediaries, our clients rely on us to improve investment outcomes for a better future. Wilshire is headquartered in the United States with offices worldwide and advises on over $1.3 trillion in assets, $87 billion of which are assets under management.

More information on Wilshire can be found at www.wilshire.com

About the Financial Times

The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading business news organizations, recognized internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy. The FT has a record paying readership of more than one million, three-quarters of which are digital subscriptions. It is part of Nikkei Inc., which provides a broad range of information, news and services for the global business community.

About CryptoCompare

CryptoCompare is a global leader in digital asset data providing institutional and retail investors with real-time and historical data spanning 5,500+ coins and 250,000+ currency pairs. By aggregating and analysing tick data from globally recognised exchanges and seamlessly integrating multiple datasets, CryptoCompare offers a comprehensive, granular overview of the market across trade, order book, historical, social and blockchain data.

More information on CryptoCompare can be found at https://data.cryptocompare.com

Contacts

Lisa Herbert

lherbert@wilshire.com

T +1 310 899 5325

M +1 310 728 5341