The Bitcoin (BTC) and cryptocurrency markets continue to stagnate as trading volumes and retail interest continue to decline — but don’t be fooled. Average Joe might be disinterested in the prolonged bear market, but institutional investors and smart money are more keen to get involved than ever. 

Do a Google Trends search for Bitcoin. What do you see?

Pretty dire, isn’t it?
No matter which way you spin it, the mainstream interest in Bitcoin and the cryptocurrency market just isn’t there — a sentiment shared by cryptocurrency analyst Garrett Keirns. Keirns told Forbes that “the interest is just not there” and claims that the market “need[s] a catalyst to spark interest,” continuing:
People are afraid of losing money, especially the Coinbase retail crowd who bought in at $10k+.
Where the institutional investors at?
If you follow the cryptocurrency industry and don’t live under a rock, you’ve probably heard the term “institutional investor” thrown around excessively throughout 2018 — so much so that the smart money class of investors has become something of a Messiah to bagholders and rekt retail traders everywhere.
What these savior seekers are missing, however, is the fact that institutional investors are already here — and taking an interest in cryptocurrencies’ discounted prices. Nigel Green, founder and CEO of deVere Group, told Forbes:
We’ve seen – and are continuing to see – that there is an increasing feeling, especially amongst institutions, including financial ones, that they feel that they now need to explore digital currencies – and fast – or their rivals could get way out ahead and they might not be able to catch up.
The industry’s major players have bent over backward to get institutional investors involved, too. Coinbase has launched a platform of custodial services aimed specifically at smart money investors, while there are more ‘legitimate’ stablecoins now than you can shake a stick at.
Perhaps it’s time for retail investors to stop waiting for Godot and accept the reality of the situation — before they get left behind.
What do you think about institutional investors in the cryptocurrency space? Do you agree that they’re already here? Let us know in the comments below! 

Images courtesy of Shutterstock, Google Trends.
[Disclaimer: This article is not intended as financial advice. The opinions expressed within are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Bitcoinist, as a whole.]
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