DeFi • MEV Capital

MEV Capital Solves Impermanent Loss in DeFi

Decentralized finance-focused asset manager MEV Capital hedges losses related to DEX liquidity provision with short-maturity options contracts.

MEV Capital, a decentralized finance-focused digital asset manager, has launched an options-based strategy to prevent on-chain liquidity providers from suffering impermanent loss – the negative outcome instigated by asset price divergences within liquidity pools.

MEV’s Impermanent Loss-Hedge Liquidity Provider strategy (IL-hedge LP), allows on-chain liquidity providers to capture trading fees without being exposed to the downside risk of their open positions.

The IL-hedge LP, which is live on UniSwap v3, combines a tight-range LP position in a liquidity pool with a package of options – with the same underlying assets and maturity date – to hedge the potential downside while LPs accrue fees from the liquidity position.

“We are excited to add this strategy to our offering. The IL-hedge LP generates competitive returns and offers limited system risk by only dealing with a few smart contract layers of UniSwap and the selected most liquid asset pairs, which we consider top tier,” said MEV Capital Co-founder and Investment Manager Laurent Bourquin.

Orbit Markets, the options structurer MEV Capital working with on IL-hedge LP, issues a contract that hedges the principal value of the LP position for a specified duration of time, typically one or two weeks.

At maturity, the options contract is settled over-the-counter with either MEV Capital covering the balance if the LP position has increased in value or the options desk settling the difference with MEV Capital if the LP position is worth less than the hedged amount.

According to research on Uniswap (v3) liquidity pools published by Bancor & Topaze Blue, approximately half (49.5%) of liquidity providers generated negative returns due to the price divergence of two assets constituting the liquidity pool and low frequency of LP rebalancing, also referred to impermanent loss.

“This particular strategy requires active interaction with OTC derivatives providers for digital assets, as the on-chain liquidity for exotic products is nonexistent for now,” Bourquin said. “However, that’s likely to change. On-chain swap contracts should become available in the following couple of years as traditional financial institutions enter the market en-masse and start reproducing investment products in the DeFi environment in size.”

Besides IL-hedged LP, MEV Capital is bridging the gap between traditional finance and DeFi by offering sophisticated digital asset instruments to institutional investors via segregated managed accounts, covered stablecoin notes, and IL-hedged LP offerings.

MEV Capital Partners with Marex Solutions

London, the UK – MEV Capital, a leading digital asset manager specializing in capturing value in the DeFi markets, and Marex Solutions, a renowned commodity broker and provider of OTC hedging solutions, announced their partnership to innovate and create new digital asset products.

With MEV Capital’s proficiency in DeFi and Marex’s established reputation in the commodity markets, this collaboration is poised to pioneer novel and exciting opportunities for clients looking to diversify their portfolios and capitalize on the cryptocurrency industry.

Harry Benchimol, Co-Head of Derivatives Engine at Marex Solutions, said, “We are thrilled to partner with MEV Capital and leverage their unique insight and market-neutral strategies in the DeFi space to provide a valuable offering to our clients. Manufacturing innovative derivatives with MEV Capital’s expertise will allow both parties to create new products combining the best centralized and decentralized finance.”

MEV Capital has been a prominent player in the DeFi space, specializing in on-chain yield strategies such as liquidity provision, statistical arbitrage, and carry trading. Their extensive experience and expertise in the DeFi market bring valuable insight and perspective to the partnership with Marex.

The first financial instrument the two companies will collaborate on is a fixed-term DeFi-linked note on stablecoins. This structured product, a first-of-its-kind, will allow professional investors to benefit from the growth of cryptocurrencies while retaining a stable, national currency-linked exposure.

Laurent Bourquin, Managing Partner of MEV Capital, said, “Our collaboration with Marex is a real leap forward for the institutionalization of DeFi. It will facilitate its access and anchor the positioning of digital assets as a new asset class for years to come.”

MEV Capital has been successfully executing on-chain yield strategies for clients for over two years and is in the final stages of opening a dedicated DeFi market-neutral investment fund in the Cayman Islands.

About Marex Solutions:

Marex Solutions is a leading commodity broker and provider of OTC hedging solutions. With a reputation for staying ahead of the rapidly changing financial landscape, Marex continues to offer innovative products and services to its clients.

About MEV Capital:

MEV Capital is a digital asset manager specializing in extracting value from DeFi markets. The company’s expertise in DeFi and on-chain yield strategies make it a valuable partner for clients looking to diversify their portfolios and benefit from the growth of the digital asset space.