European Central Bank Warns Crypto Markets Pose Financial Stability Risks

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Crypto markets may pose risks to wider financial stability: European Central Bank

Cryptocurrencies will pose a risk to financial stability if the emerging sector maintains its rapid growth of the last two years and financial firms deepen their involvement, the European Central Bank (ECB) said on Tuesday.

The crypto market slumped sharply this month after the downfall of major "stablecoin" terraUSD. The crash has led to calls from the world's top financial leaders for "swift and comprehensive" regulation of the sector.

Cryptocurrencies - historically a niche asset favoured by risk-hungry investors, exploded in size during the COVID-19 pandemic. Institutional investors especially were drawn by claims that bitcoin acts as a hedge against inflation and offers high returns in the face of low interest rates.

The crypto sector hit a peak of $2.9 trillion last November up from less than $300 billion at the start of 2020. Still, bitcoin, the biggest token, since November has slumped by over half, dragging the value of the overall crypto market down to around $1.2 trillion.

The ECB in its biannual financial stability review said exposure to crypto by banks and other financial institutions on a wide scale could put capital at risk and damage investor confidence, lending and financial markets.

"Systemic risk increases in line with the level of interconnectedness between crypto-assets and the traditional financial sector," it said.

Highly leveraged trading offered by crypto exchanges has seen investors borrow funds to buy greater exposure to crypto, also heightening financial stability risks, the ECB noted.

Furthermore, data shortcomings in the sector are also hindering the assessment of financial risks, it said, warning that publications by