Billionaire Family Office Bets on Crypto--Without Touching Bitcoin

The firm plans to allocate up to $10 million to Re7 Capital, a decentralized-finance hedge fund that runs market-neutral strategies designed to earn yield while hedging volatility. VMS has historically focused on private equity and other longer-horizon investments, but managing partner Elton Cheung said that shifting liquidity conditionsparticularly as more companies stay private longerare prompting the firm to explore more flexible, liquid opportunities across asset classes.

Cheung noted that the timing of this move reflects growing demand and an evolving policy backdrop that now appears more favorable. Since Donald Trump's pro-crypto victory in November, Bitcoin (BTC-USD) has rallied nearly 50%, and the recent IPO of Circle Internet Group may have strengthened investor sentiment further. Rather than buying tokens outright, VMS has opted for exposure through Re7's structured yield approachproviding liquidity on decentralized exchanges and lending stablecoins, while managing downside through hedging. Re7 founder Evgeny Gokhberg emphasized that while crypto is often viewed through the lens of high-risk, high-reward, Re7's strategy is designed for allocators seeking more stable, repeatable returns. Since its 2021 inception, the fund has delivered consistent double-digit yields, though it has not disclosed exact figures.

VMS is also evaluating longer-term opportunities tied to crypto infrastructure and payments. Zhi Li, who joined the firm in London last December to lead digital-asset investments, said VMS is actively exploring integration of crypto-based payments into a real estate development it controls in Vietnam. According to Li, institutional and next-generation family office clients are pushing for exposure to regulated digital assets as part of broader diversification goals. We've seen a meaningful shift in interest from families who want to do something different, he said.