Unique: Canada’s greatest pension plan, CPPI, ends crypto funding pursuit

By Divya Rajagopal

TORONTO (Reuters) – Canada’s greatest pension fund, CPP Investments, has ended its effort to check funding alternatives within the unstable crypto market, two folks acquainted with the matter advised Reuters.

The explanations behind CPPI’s abandonment of crypto analysis weren’t instantly clear. CPPI declined to remark however mentioned it has made no direct investments in crypto. It referred to earlier feedback on cryptocurrency by its CEO, John Graham, wherein he sounded a be aware of warning.

CPPI’s Alpha Technology Lab, which examines rising funding traits, had fashioned a three-member crew in early 2021 to analysis crypto currencies and blockchain-related companies, with a view to taking potential publicity, the folks added.

However CPPI deserted the pursuit this yr and redeployed the crew to different areas, the sources mentioned.

CPPI’s transfer additionally comes as two of Canada’s largest pension funds have written off their investments after the collapse of crypto alternate FTX and crypto lender Celsius this yr.

Earlier this yr CPPI CEO Graham mentioned that the pension plan, which manages C$529 billion ($388 billion) for practically 20 million Canadians, didn’t need to put money into crypto merely due to the concern of lacking out.

“You need to actually take into consideration what the underlying intrinsic worth is of a few of these property and construct your portfolio accordingly,” Graham mentioned in a June speech. “So I might say crypto is one thing we proceed to have a look at and attempt to perceive, however we simply have not actually invested in it.”

It was unclear when CPPI dropped its plan. One of many sources mentioned the crew was actively assessing funding alternatives as late as July this yr, however the second supply mentioned the crew ended its work sooner than that.

The main points of CPPI’s pursuit of cryptocurrency funding and its determination to finish it haven’t been beforehand reported.

The sources declined to be recognized as a result of the knowledge was not public.

Canadian pension funds’ publicity to crypto sector has come below scrutiny following the FTX debacle. Whereas Canadian pension funds should not prohibited from shopping for cryptocurrencies, they’re recognized for his or her risk-averse investing methods to generate regular returns for pensioners.

Whereas CPPI has prevented crypto investments, a few of its friends have been caught up within the sector’s mayhem this yr. The Ontario Lecturers Pension Fund (OTPP), which oversees about C$242 billion in property, has written off its investments price C$95 million in FTX. OTPP mentioned it was “upset” with its funding in FTX.

Earlier this yr, Canada’s second-largest pension fund, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), mentioned it was writing off its funding of C$150 million in bankrupt crypto lending agency Celsius. CDPQ has initiated authorized proceedings towards Celsius in chapter courtroom.

The Ontario Municipal Workers Retirement System (OMERS), which manages C$121 billion, made three allocations to crypto-linked companies by way of its OMERS Ventures enterprise between 2012 and 2018 however exited all investments in 2020.

One other Canadian pension fund, OP Belief, advised Reuters that it has investments within the digital asset fund area that’s managed externally. The funding is within the underlying crypto know-how, it mentioned.

($1 = 1.3650 Canadian {dollars})