He started by reflecting on the events of the past year. “2017 was just fun, it was almost stupid,” Novogratz told the Financial Times. “This year has been challenging. It sucks to build a business in a bear market.”
2018 has indeed been a bearish year for Galaxy Digital, with the company’s shares dropping 37 percent since they were first listed on Canada’s TSX Venture Exchange at the start of August.
The bank posted losses of $134 million in the first quarter, driven by $85.5 million in unrealized losses on digital investments and $13.5 million in total losses from its trading arm. During the second quarter, Galaxy Digital posted net income of $35 million, with $44.8 million in unrealized gains and a reduction of its trading losses to $1.1 million.
Despite his long-term confidence, Novogratz acknowledges the effect that the crypto-market downturn has had on Galaxy Digital’s staff. “Anxiety levels go up when crypto goes down,” he said. “In most traditional business, [such as] Goldman Sachs, you don’t worry. There’s not an existential threat out there.”
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