Bitwise Makes First Institutional DeFi Allocation via Maple Finance, Signaling a New Era for On-Chain Credit

With over $12 billion in client assets, Bitwise partners with Maple Finance to access yield-generating, institutional-grade on-chain credit markets.

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6th March, 2025: Maple Finance announced today that Bitwise Asset Management, a premier crypto specialist asset manager with over $12B in client assets, has made its first institutional allocation leveraging DeFi through Maple, a significant milestone in the adoption of on-chain credit by institutional allocators. This marks a pivotal step as institutional capital increasingly seeks structured, transparent, and yield-generating opportunities within the digital asset space.

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Bitwise Allocation

With Maple’s secure and compliant infrastructure, Bitwise can now access on-chain credit while meeting institutional regulatory standards. Backed by a proven track record and deep expertise in both traditional and digital credit markets, Maple offers industry-leading legal, technical, and risk management frameworks tailored for institutions.

“Across all of our active solutions at Bitwise, we’ve always sought to take advantage of crypto-native investments that generate dynamic, uncorrelated returns,” said Bitwise Head of Alpha Strategies and Portfolio Manager Jeff Park. “That’s why we’re thrilled to be partnering with Maple on the emerging opportunity in on-chain credit. Maple’s deep expertise and battle-tested infrastructure position Bitwise and our clients well to access the opportunities with confidence and scale.”

"At Bitwise, we are committed to identifying and leveraging innovative opportunities that align with our mission of delivering best-in-class crypto investment solutions. Joining forces with Maple Finance represents a meaningful step forward in expanding institutional access to on-chain markets. As a pioneer in institutional DeFi, Maple has set the standard for transparency, efficiency, and scalability in on-chain credit, and we’re excited to help drive the future of institutional finance alongside them," said Hunter Horsley CEO of Bitwise Asset Management

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Institutional Asset Manager Onchain

Since launching in 2021, Maple has established itself as the preferred institutional venue for on-chain credit, issuing overcollateralized loans backed by the trillion-dollar digital asset class. Digital assets are a powerful collateral asset, trading 24/7/365 globally and allowing for instant settlement and real-time risk management.

Maple has successfully navigated multiple market cycles while delivering consistent, risk-adjusted yields that outperforms traditional credit opportunities. Bitwise’s allocation through Maple signals a broader shift as institutional capital moves beyond conventional fixed income toward more efficient and scalable on-chain lending markets.

“Bitwise’s allocation marks a watershed moment for on-chain credit, reinforcing Maple’s position as the leading venue for institutional allocators seeking access in a compliant format. This partnership is a testament to the maturity and readiness of on-chain lending infrastructure, delivering the transparency, security, and efficiency that institutions require. The convergence between DeFi and traditional finance is accelerating, and Maple is at the forefront of that shift.” – Sid Powell, Co-founder & CEO, Maple Finance

As institutional engagement in digital private credit gathers momentum, partnerships like this set the foundation for broader adoption, with regulated firms increasingly looking to on-chain credit markets as a source of alpha generation. With Maple’s growing track record and differentiated yield opportunities, more firms are actively exploring allocations to on-chain credit.

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About Maple Finance

Maple Finance, launched in 2021, is an Institutional Asset Manager, offering institutional products and DeFi assets that are transparent and verifiable on-chain generating yield for its clients. Maple offers a variety of products including secured lending, structured products and institutional staking. As a leader in decentralized finance, Maple is building a global asset management ecosystem focused on innovation and accessibility. Central to this ecosystem is the SYRUP token, introduced in 2024, which empowers the Maple community through staking, governance, and shared protocol growth. Together, Maple is driving the next generation of institutional credit markets in DeFi.

For more information, visit maple.finance

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About Bitwise 

Bitwise Asset Management is the largest crypto index fund manager in America. Thousands of financial advisors, family offices, and institutional investors partner with Bitwise to understand and access the opportunities in crypto. Since 2017, Bitwise has established a track record of excellence managing a broad suite of index and active solutions across ETFs, separately managed accounts, private funds, hedge fund strategies, and staking. Bitwise is known for providing unparalleled client support through expert research and commentary, its nationwide client team of crypto specialists, and its deep access to the crypto ecosystem. The Bitwise team of more than 100 professionals combines expertise in technology and asset management with backgrounds including BlackRock, Millennium, ETF.com, Meta, Google, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Bitwise is backed by leading institutional investors and has been profiled in Institutional Investor, Barron’s, Bloomberg, and The Wall Street Journal. It has offices in San Francisco, New York, and London.

For more information, visit bitwiseinvestments.com

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