AMINA Bank AG, a Switzerland-based crypto bank, has achieved a significant regulatory milestone in Hong Kong. The bank’s local subsidiary has received approval from the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) to offer digital asset trading and custody services to institutional clients.
This “Type 1 licence uplift” marks the first instance of an international banking group receiving such authorisation for cryptocurrency services in the region. The license covers spot trading and asset safeguarding, reflecting the growing demand from professional investors for bank-grade access to Asia’s digital asset markets.
The regulatory upgrade enables AMINA (Hong Kong) Limited (AMINA HK) to provide a suite of services for professional investors. The subsidiary will support approximately 13 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), USD Coin (USDC), and Tether (USDT).
Approved services will include 24/7 spot trading, whitelisted address withdrawals, institutional-grade custody, and access to tailored liquidity pools. As part of its broader strategy, the bank also plans to introduce tokenised real-world assets and structured cryptocurrency products.
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This development aligns with Hong Kong’s strategic push to establish itself as a regulated global hub for digital assets. The city has been actively evolving its regulatory framework, introducing rules for stablecoins and enhancing tokenization guidelines.
The approval of AMINA signals a shift in how traditional financial institutions engage with the crypto economy. While retail-facing platforms have been operating under a separate licensing regime, this move provides banking-grade access specifically for institutions. The action may prompt other global banking organisations to consider similar expansions into the region’s regulated crypto infrastructure.
