Hong Kong — Swiss banking group AMINA has received a Type 1 licence uplift from the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), becoming the first international banking group authorised to offer comprehensive crypto spot trading and custody access to professional investors in the city. The approval marks a significant milestone in Hong Kong’s push to build a regulated global hub for institutional digital-asset services.
Key Takeaways
AMINA becomes the first international banking group to receive an SFC Type 1 licence uplift, allowing regulated crypto trading and custody services in Hong Kong.
The approval enables 24/7 spot trading for 13 vetted cryptocurrencies and secure, institution-grade custody for professional investors.
AMINA’s custody system includes whitelisted wallet access and SOC-certified security, meeting strict Hong Kong and Swiss compliance standards.
The move strengthens Hong Kong’s position as a leading regulated digital-asset hub, attracting more institutional players to the region.
AMINA (Hong Kong) Limited, the Hong Kong arm of AMINA Bank AG, announced that the SFC-approved licence uplift now allows the bank to provide regulated crypto-asset dealing services, including 24/7 spot trading and secure institutional-grade custody. The approval strengthens AMINA’s position in Asia and expands its ability to serve hedge funds, family offices, asset managers, and corporate investors seeking compliant, high-security access to digital assets.
First International Banking Group With Comprehensive Crypto Access in Hong Kong
With the upgraded approval, AMINA becomes the first global banking group permitted to offer a full suite of crypto spot trading combined with SFC-regulated custody access for Hong Kong’s professional-investor market.
The bank said the approval reflects Hong Kong’s commitment to building a safe and regulated digital-asset framework that bridges traditional finance with the crypto economy. The city has been actively rolling out regulatory pathways for exchanges, tokenised assets, custodians, and banking institutions over the past two years.
AMINA HK has held Type 1, Type 4, and Type 9 licences in Hong Kong since 2023. The latest Type 1 uplift explicitly expands the institution’s permission to include virtual-asset dealing services under SFC oversight, allowing it to operate in compliance with the city’s strict digital-asset rules.
Institutional-Grade Crypto Trading for Professional Investors
Under the upgraded licence, AMINA HK now offers 24/7 crypto spot trading through its institutional platform. The service currently supports 13 vetted digital assets, including:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- USD Coin (USDC)
- Tether (USDT)
- Several leading DeFi and blockchain infrastructure tokens
The bank said all listed assets undergo a “rigorous, bank-grade screening process” to ensure compliance, liquidity, and security standards.
Trading is available exclusively to professional investors, including institutions, family offices, and corporate clients that meet SFC eligibility thresholds. The bank confirmed it will expand its digital-asset menu over time, based on client demand and regulatory approvals.
Secure Custody With Safelisting and Multi-Layered Protection
AMINA’s custody offering is one of the most regulated in Hong Kong’s institutional crypto landscape. The bank provides:
- Allowed wallet address access only
- Complete segregation of client assets
- Bank-grade cold and warm storage
- Multi-layered authentication and encryption
- SOC 1 Type 2 and SOC 2 Type 2 compliant security controls
Deposits and withdrawals are processed only between authorised addresses to prevent unauthorised fund transfers and ensure full compliance with SFC anti-money laundering (AML) standards.
The bank says the custody architecture mirrors the high regulatory expectations of Swiss banking oversight, combining it with Hong Kong’s fast-growing digital-asset market structure.
AMINA Positions Hong Kong as Asia’s Regulated Crypto Gateway
AMINA’s approval strengthens Hong Kong’s role as one of the only jurisdictions offering a well-defined, regulated pathway for banks to operate crypto-asset services.
The SFC has recently pushed new digital-asset rules, including more precise guidance for custody, OTC operations, tokenisation, and global order-book mechanisms. At the same time, crypto trading volumes in Hong Kong have surged more than 233%, reflecting growing institutional interest.
AMINA’s entry aligns directly with the city’s focus on attracting major financial players under transparent rules.
Industry analysts say AMINA’s presence could encourage further institutional inflows into Hong Kong, boost liquidity, and increase competition among regulated crypto providers. As more banks examine the region’s permissive but structured regulatory framework, Hong Kong could strengthen its position relative to Singapore and Dubai in the race for global digital-asset leadership.
Backing From Swiss Banking Standards
Founded in April 2018, AMINA Bank AG is regulated by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA), making it one of the few fully regulated digital banks in Europe. The bank operates out of Zug with additional hubs in Dubai and Hong Kong.
Its ability to meet both Swiss regulatory standards and Hong Kong’s SFC requirements highlights its institutional-grade risk management and compliance capabilities — two attributes institutional investors prioritize when entering crypto markets.
AMINA said it intends to integrate its Hong Kong operations with its global infrastructure to provide seamless cross-jurisdictional banking and digital-asset support for institutional clients.
Future Expansion: Tokenisation, Derivatives, Structured Products
While the newly approved licence focuses on spot crypto trading and custody, AMINA signaled plans for future expansion. The bank intends to introduce additional services, including:
- Tokenised real-world assets (RWAs)
- Crypto derivatives for professional clients
- Structured products built on blockchain rails
- Advanced treasury and settlement solutions
- Corporate digital-asset banking
These planned offerings depend on ongoing regulatory approvals and market demand, but they reflect AMINA’s intention to build a full-stack digital-asset bank in Asia.
A Major Milestone for Institutional Crypto Finance in Hong Kong
AMINA’s newly enhanced licence represents one of Hong Kong’s most significant institutional crypto developments of the year. As the city continues to open regulated pathways for digital-asset innovation, the arrival of an international banking group offering both spot trading and custody could mark a turning point for Asia’s institutional crypto adoption.
The bank said it remains committed to providing a secure, compliant, and transparent digital-asset environment for professional investors, reinforcing Hong Kong’s ambitions to become a leading global hub for regulated crypto finance.
