Hong Kong’s regulated crypto market just gained a major new pillar—and this time, it isn’t a startup or exchange making waves, but an international banking group.

AMINA (Hong Kong) Limited, the local subsidiary of Switzerland’s FINMA-regulated AMINA Bank AG, has secured a Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) Type 1 license uplift, becoming the first international bank to offer regulated crypto spot trading and institutional-grade safeguarding services to Hong Kong’s professional investor market.

It’s a milestone with broader implications: Hong Kong wants to be the regional hub for regulated digital assets, but institutional investors haven’t had many fully compliant, globally recognized platforms with local onboarding. AMINA HK appears poised to fill that gap—and possibly set a new competitive bar for the industry.

Why This License Uplift Actually Matters

Hong Kong’s digital asset rules are among the most mature in APAC, but the institutional side has been underserved. Family offices, corporates, and asset managers often faced three problems:

1. Limited access to institutional-grade crypto within Hong Kong’s regulatory perimeter
2. Lack of international banking-level safeguards for crypto trading and custody
3. No local onboarding with global compliance standards

AMINA HK now offers all three—under the watch of two regulators: FINMA in Switzerland and the SFC in Hong Kong.

That dual-regulated structure gives the bank something few digital asset firms can claim: the operational rigor of a traditional global institution paired with the agility of a crypto-native infrastructure.

As Michael Benz, Head of AMINA Hong Kong and APAC, put it: “Hong Kong has established itself as the region’s most sophisticated market for regulated institutional crypto adoption… We combine Swiss banking rigor with Hong Kong digital asset expertise.”

For institutions accustomed to risk committees, auditors, and multi-layered governance, that combination isn’t just appealing—it’s essential.

Filling the Institutional Gap Hong Kong Has Been Waiting For

Since Hong Kong revamped its crypto licensing frameworks, attention has centered on exchanges chasing retail access. The institutional side has lagged, largely because the players best suited to serve that market—banks, custodians, and global asset managers—have moved cautiously.

AMINA’s Type 1 license uplift changes the equation. It gives professional investors access to:

• 24/7 crypto spot trading
• SFC-compliant custody
• Crypto deposits and withdrawals via whitelisted addresses
• Institutional execution infrastructure
• A vetted list of 13 major tokens (including BTC, ETH, stablecoins, and leading DeFi assets)

In other words: the tools sophisticated investors always wanted, now delivered under a framework they already understand.

And this is only phase one. Benz confirmed that AMINA plans to expand into private fund management, structured crypto products, derivatives, and tokenized real-world assets (RWA)—all through regulated channels.

That last point is worth highlighting: RWA tokenization is becoming the battleground where banks and crypto-native firms are increasingly intersecting. AMINA now has regulatory permission to play in both worlds.

What AMINA HK Is Offering Right Now

The firm’s new services target the needs of institutions, corporates, and high-net-worth clients who expect robust infrastructure, not retail-level tooling.

Trading Capabilities

• 24/7 professional trading on major digital assets
• Execution via institutional-grade liquidity pools
• SFC-licensed infrastructure with full regulatory oversight
• Multi-channel access: iOS/Android apps, web portal, and direct relationship management

Regulated Crypto Custody

• SFC-compliant safeguarding meeting institutional security standards
• Controlled deposits/withdrawals via whitelisted addresses
• SOC 1 Type 2 and SOC 2 Type 2 certified infrastructure
• 24/7 operational coverage for global time zones

It’s the kind of operational footprint you’d expect from a bank—not a crypto exchange.

Why Hong Kong?

Hong Kong’s regulatory clarity is increasingly attracting serious institutional players. While other APAC jurisdictions debate frameworks or tinker around the edges, Hong Kong has:

• A clearly regulated digital asset regime
• A licensing system designed to integrate with traditional finance
• A professional investor base hungry for approved infrastructure
• Government support for tokenization, stablecoin development, and asset digitalization

For banks, hedge funds, corporate treasuries, and family offices, the city is evolving into the region’s most credible institutional crypto hub.

AMINA’s move signals confidence that the next wave of digital asset growth will be led not by speculative retail traders—but by regulated, sophisticated capital looking for compliant exposure.

A Blueprint for the Future of Institutional Crypto

AMINA HK’s entry could shift competitive dynamics in Hong Kong’s digital asset sector. The market has long anticipated global banks and regulated financial institutions stepping in, but progress has been gradual.

Now an international banking group has taken the lead. The ripple effects could be significant:

• More institutions may onboard sooner now that a globally regulated bank is offering crypto access
• Hong Kong’s tokenization ambitions may accelerate as institutional-grade players enter
• Competitors will be pressured to match AMINA’s compliance and security standards
• Family offices may shift from offshore solutions to HK-regulated options

Institutional crypto is moving from concept to infrastructure—and AMINA is positioning itself as one of the architects.

The Bottom Line

AMINA HK’s Type 1 license uplift isn’t just a regulatory win—it’s a signal that Hong Kong’s institutional crypto market is entering a new stage defined by banking-grade standards, fully regulated infrastructure, and global investor readiness.

For professional investors—especially those who’ve been waiting for institutional-level guardrails before stepping into digital assets—AMINA just built the bridge.