"골드만삭스의 가상화폐 전문가 영입, 가상화폐 주류되고 있다는 신호"

비트코인이 1000만원대선을 다시금 넘겼다.

4월 25일 10시 현재 국내 시세로 1050만9000원, 세계 시세로 9677달러(약 1043만원)다.

블록체인 캐피탈(Blockchain Capital)의 파트너인 스펜서 보가트(Spencer Bogart)는 "비트코인은 전통적인 자산 클래스와 상관 관계가 없으며, 최고 50% 상승을 보였다"며 "일부 자본을 가상화폐에 할당하는 것은 포트폴리오 관리 관점에서 생각할 필요가 없는 것 같다"고 밝혔다.

그 외에도 골드만삭스가 가상화폐 전문가를 영입했고, 톰슨 로이터 조사에 따르면 5개 기업 중 하나는 내년에 디지털통화를 거래 고려하고 있다는 소식이 있었다.

조 디파스퀘일(Joe DiPasquale) 비트불 캐피탈(BitBull Capital) CEO는 "보고서에 따르면 가상화폐 시장에 참여할 준비하는 기업이 증가세를 보여 지속적으로 평가가 상승할 것"이라며 "지난주 비트코인이 주목할만하게 상승해 긍정적으로 변하고 있다"고 분석했다.

월스트리트 비트코인 전문가 톰리(Tom Lee)는 골드만삭스의 채용이 가상화폐 시장 미래의 희소식이라고 반겼다. 그는 "주요 투자은행이 실제로 거래 서비스를 제공하기에 충분한 명확성, 담보성 및 실제 거래가 가능한 자금이라고 생각한다는 신호다"라며 "이것이 주류가 되고 있다는 신호라고 생각한다"고 말했다.

한편, 가상화폐에 부정적이던 골드만삭스가 가상화폐 전문가를 부사장으로 영입해 관심을 끌었다. 골드만삭스 측은 고객들이 다양한 디지털자산에 관심을 보이고 있어 전문가를 영입했다며 구체적인 계획은 밝히지 않았다.

Bitcoin jumps 7% amid massive market sell-off

Bitcoin rose to its highest level in more than a month as the broader U.S. financial markets sold off Tuesday.

The digital currency was trading near $9,436 as of 4:21 p.m. ET, and has jumped nearly 20 percent in the past week, according to data from Coindesk. Bitcoin is coming off of its worst quarter ever, when it lost roughly 48 percent of its value in three months.

News this week that Goldman Sachs made its first cryptocurrency hire, and a Thomson Reuters survey published Tuesday that said one in five firms are considering trading digital currency in the next year, marked a shift in crypto investor sentiment and helped prices, according to Joe DiPasquale, CEO of BitBull Capital.

"As reports continue to show more and more institutions gearing up to participate in crypto markets, valuations are likely to continue to increase in a steady manner," DiPasquale said. "There has been a significant shift in sentiment towards the positive, with Bitcoin's spot price seeing the most notable jump over the last week."

Tom Lee, managing partner and the head of research at Fundstrat Global Advisors, said the Goldman hire is good news for the future of cryptocurrency.

"It's a sign that a major investment bank thinks there's enough clarity, custody and money to be made to actually offer that trading service," Lee told CNBC's Fast Money Tuesday. "I think it's a sign that this is becoming mainstream."

Lee also highlighted an April uptick in Fundstrat's Bitcoin Misery Index. The index is measured out of 100, and shows how happy or sad investors feel owning bitcoin. In February, the index was around 18 which Lee said at the time was the lowest reading since Aug. 2011. As of this week, the index recovered to around 47, Lee said.

Bitcoin reached its highest level since March 14 on Tuesday but is still down more than 30 percent this year, according to CoinDesk.

Goldman Sachs Hires Crypto Trader Justin Schmidt to Lead Digital Assets
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. hired Justin Schmidt as head of digital asset markets to help clients gain exposure to cryptocurrencies.

Goldman Sachs has been a leader in helping clients navigate crypto markets, and was among the first Wall Street firms to clear Bitcoin futures offered by Cboe Global Markets Inc. and CME Group Inc. The company was considering whether to start a trading desk to make markets in digital currencies, people familiar with the effort said in December.

“In response to client interest in various digital products, we are exploring how best to serve them in the space,” Galvin-Cohen said in a statement. “We have not reached a conclusion on the scope of our digital asset offering.”