bitcoin and more broadly cryptoassets are a new and emerging asset class that will likely be here to stay said chris kuiper vice president at cfra researchcfra expects the large banks as well as smaller financial institutions to continue to adopt them particularly as the infrastructure and legalregulatory framework continues to be built out kuiper addedthe basel committee which coordinates regulation among central banks this week proposed new rules that would require banks to set aside capital for cryptocurrency investmentsgary gensler the new head of the securities and exchange commission has also said he wants to bolster protections for cryptocurrency investors telling cnbc that such investors dont have full protections that they have in the equity markets or in the commodity futures market