AMINA (Hong Kong) Limited (AMINA HK), a subsidiary of Swiss FINMA-regulated AMINA Bank AG (AMINA), has secured a significant regulatory achievement with its Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) Type 1 license uplift. This development positions AMINA HK as the first international banking group to offer comprehensive crypto spot trading and asset safeguarding services exclusively to professional investors in Hong Kong. The expansion aligns with AMINA’s strategy to operate as a regulated crypto services provider with global reach, enabling Hong Kong professional investors, including institutions, corporates, and high-net-worth individuals, to access institutional-grade crypto services within the city’s regulatory framework.
The license uplift addresses a critical gap in Hong Kong’s institutional crypto market. While the city has established regulatory frameworks for digital assets, professional investors and family offices have encountered limited access to international institutional-grade crypto services that include local onboarding capabilities. AMINA HK’s enhanced license, combined with the group’s bank-grade operational expertise, aims to bridge this gap, establishing the banking group as essential infrastructure for Hong Kong’s growing institutional crypto adoption. The market has progressed beyond early adoption, with sophisticated investors now seeking regulated, institutional-grade access to crypto services that adhere to traditional financial product standards.
Michael Benz, Head of AMINA Hong Kong and APAC, stated, “Hong Kong has established itself as the region’s most sophisticated market for regulated institutional crypto adoption, and this license uplift positions AMINA to serve the accelerating demand from professional investors seeking trusted access to crypto.” He added, “What distinguishes AMINA is our ability to combine Swiss banking rigor with Hong Kong digital asset expertise to deliver crypto solutions through a framework that institutional clients can trust. This milestone enables us to expand our crypto product shelf including private fund management, structured products, derivatives, and tokenized real-world assets — all delivered through the regulated framework that our professional investor community demands.”
With the Type 1 license uplift, AMINA HK now offers 24/7 crypto spot trading, asset safeguarding, and crypto deposits and withdrawals directly to and from whitelisted addresses. These services are delivered through a framework designed to meet SFC regulatory standards, streamlining client journeys while maintaining the institutional-grade quality required by professional investors, family offices, and institutional clients.
AMINA HK’s new offerings are currently live and accessible to professional investors. Trading capabilities include 24/7 professional trading across major digital asset pairs with institutional-grade execution infrastructure. An initial selection of 13 vetted cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, stablecoins (USDC, USDT), and leading DeFi tokens, is available. Clients also gain access to institutional-grade liquidity pools via SFC-licensed infrastructure and can use multi-channel access through mobile applications (iOS/Android), web portals, and personalized relationship management.
Access to regulated crypto custody is also provided, offering SFC-compliant custody that meets institutional security standards. The service supports crypto deposits and withdrawals to whitelisted addresses, allowing professional investors flexibility in moving cryptocurrencies between AMINA and external non-custodial wallets. Multi-layered security protocols, including SOC 1 Type 2 and SOC 2 Type 2 certified infrastructure, are in place, alongside 24/7 operational capabilities that enable professional investors to manage cryptocurrency positions across global time zones.
