Unlocking Token Performance: The Power of Investor Relations

Welcome to our institutional newsletter, Crypto Long & Short. This week, we delve into the world of token performance and the crucial role of investor relations. By Jordan Brewer, investment analyst at Runa Digital Assets, we learn that a key part of investor relations is a regular investor call where management walks through forward guidance. Protocols like Maple Finance and EtherFi are leading the way in this regard. Research shows that firms that consistently meet or beat their own guidance enjoy a measurable stock price premium over those that don't. In crypto, Maple set guidance of $4 billion in AUM and $25 million in ARR for 2025 and later raised guidance to $5 billion in AUM and $30 million in ARR, delivering on its promises and outperforming competitors. Meanwhile, Martin Burgherr, chief clients officer at Sygnum Bank, discusses how institutions are separating custody from execution in crypto, signaling a significant shift in how institutional capital moves through crypto markets. This change is not just tactical but also signals a broader evolution in digital asset market structure. As the infrastructure catches up, firms like Wintermute and Nomura's digital asset arm Laser Digital are already operating in this way, using collateral held in regulated bank custody while maintaining full access to exchange liquidity.