I've thought about and looked into this. I heard some brokers actually allow you to custody your bitcoins with them, so basically you're 100% hedged and have 0 margin hit when you execute this pair trade. Additionally, if you can borrow 7:1 on Portfolio Margin for this 5BTC trade for both the long and short side… it becomes a reasonable trade. The question is, can you find a broker that allows you PM on crypto and could custody (or know you have the coins and allow you to HODL the short side in the face of a face-ripper rally of the underlying??).
I've also thought about doing some kind of vol arb - if I can sell calls on some optionable over-priced crypto proxies like MSTR; and then buy calls on presumably more efficient BTC options on futures on CME to neutralize the delta and gamma.
Greyscale also has an offering program for accredited investors that allows you to fund and buy their GBTC shares at NAV and be able to redeem back the shares after 6 months - and capture what used to be 20-40% premium over NAV (https://adventuresincapitalism.com/2020/11/24/why-this-refle...). But I believe that premium returned back to a discount recently. So no edge is not there anymore.
But you're 100% correct, there are so many issues exploiting inefficiencies in crypto despite that it is an emerging market. Exchange risk, risk of self-custody, lack of liquidity in derivatives. Best of luck!
I've also thought about doing some kind of vol arb - if I can sell calls on some optionable over-priced crypto proxies like MSTR; and then buy calls on presumably more efficient BTC options on futures on CME to neutralize the delta and gamma.
Greyscale also has an offering program for accredited investors that allows you to fund and buy their GBTC shares at NAV and be able to redeem back the shares after 6 months - and capture what used to be 20-40% premium over NAV (https://adventuresincapitalism.com/2020/11/24/why-this-refle...). But I believe that premium returned back to a discount recently. So no edge is not there anymore.
But you're 100% correct, there are so many issues exploiting inefficiencies in crypto despite that it is an emerging market. Exchange risk, risk of self-custody, lack of liquidity in derivatives. Best of luck!