Standard Chartered’s Geoffrey Kendrick: Consolidation Is Coming for Bitcoin DATs

Core Insights - A wave of consolidation is anticipated in the digital asset treasury (DAT) space, as market dynamics shift and competition intensifies [1][3][7] - The U.S. stablecoin market is expected to grow rapidly, potentially reaching $2 trillion by 2028 [7] - Regulatory frameworks in Europe and the U.S. are evolving but lack coordination, which could impact the digital asset landscape [5][6] Digital Asset Treasuries (DAT) - The DAT model, initially popularized by MicroStrategy, is evolving due to changing market conditions [3] - MicroStrategy's market value relative to its Bitcoin holdings has remained above one, indicating resilience despite market pullbacks [3] - Many new entrants in the DAT space have questionable net asset values (NAVs), leading to a predicted consolidation [4] Market Trends - Ether-based DATs may become more attractive than Bitcoin-focused ones due to the potential for staking yields [4] - The next significant growth wave in digital assets is expected to come from tokenized real-world assets [7] Regulatory Environment - Europe's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework is now in effect, while U.S. regulatory measures like the Genius Act and Clarity Act are still under development [6] - There is a call for regulatory consistency between major jurisdictions to better support the digital asset market [5][6]