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Three big names in finance are making significant investments in cryptocurrencies, underscoring growing mainstream interest in the space.

Barron’s scans the world’s major publications each day to find news that helps financial advisors serve their clients better.

First, online broker TD Ameritrade is investing in ErisX, a derivatives exchange that will offer trading of digital asset futures and spot contracts on a single platform, InvestmentNews reports.

Meanwhile, Ric Edelman, the founder and executive chairman of Edelman Financial Services, is backing Bitwise Asset Management, which is developing cryptocurrency index funds, according to the same publication.

And David Swensen, known as Yale’s “Warren Buffett” for his success with that university’s endowment, has invested in two crypto venture funds, CNBC reports, citing anonymous sources.

TD Ameritrade chose ErisX over other cryptocurrency exchanges because of its compliance with existing regulations for spot and futures trading, JB Mackenzie, who heads futures and forex at TD, said. The two companies plan to develop products targeted at retail investors, but there might eventually be something for the advice space, he added.

Edelman will serve as an advisor to Bitwise, helping it to “bring institutional-caliber crypto exposure to investors in the U.S. and around the globe,” according to a statement. He said he liked Bitwise’s diversified approach to crypto investing. Last November, it launched the 10 Private Index Fund, which holds the 10 largest digital currencies by market cap. Available to accredited investors with a minimum investment of $25,000, the fund charges a 2.5% fee.

“It’s an effective way to speculate in this space,” Edelman is quoted saying. “And speculate is the key word. It’s still the Wild West.”

The specific reasons for Swensen’s investments are unclear, as his office declined to comment to CNBC. But the news outlet reports his team took a stake in Andreessen Horowitz’s inaugural $300 million crypto fund, as well as Paradigm, a new fund focused on blockchain and cryptocurrency launched by Fred Ehrsam, a co-founder of the popular Coinbase crypto exchange.

--Ross Snel