The licence covers 13 cryptocurrencies, together with Bitcoin, Ether, USD,C and Tether.
AMINA reported a 233% improve in Hong Kong buying and selling volumes in early 2025.
Hong Kong launched new stablecoin guidelines and accredited a Solana ETF this yr.
Hong Kong’s push to construct a regulated digital asset market is drawing extra curiosity from world monetary establishments, and the newest instance is Swiss crypto financial institution AMINA Financial institution AG securing approval to broaden its providers within the metropolis.
The financial institution acquired a Sort 1 licence uplift from the Securities and Futures Fee, which makes it the primary worldwide financial institution allowed to supply regulated crypto buying and selling and custody to institutional purchasers in Hong Kong.
The transfer strengthens the town’s place as a regional digital asset hub and highlights rising demand for bank-grade crypto providers amongst skilled merchants.
AMINA plans to make use of the approval to supply institutional customers with a regulated route into cryptocurrencies at a time when purchasers are searching for stronger safeguards and clearer guidelines.
Hong Kong’s compliance requirements have usually restricted the variety of international establishments capable of provide these providers, which has left a niche available in the market for corporations with established banking frameworks.
AMINA’s entry goals to fill that hole whereas giving purchasers a regulated platform backed by conventional monetary infrastructure.
AMINA expands in a quick rising market
The licence uplift permits AMINA’s Hong Kong subsidiary to supply buying and selling and custody for 13 cryptocurrencies.
These embrace Bitcoin, Ether, USDC, Tether, and a number of other main decentralised finance tokens which can be broadly used throughout world exchanges.
The approval creates new alternatives for institutional purchasers searching for a single regulated venue with entry to a curated listing of main digital property.
AMINA additionally reported a pointy rise in market exercise.
The financial institution recorded a 233% improve in buying and selling quantity on Hong Kong crypto exchanges within the first half of 2025.
The rise factors to stronger engagement from each institutional and retail segments, which have gotten extra lively as Hong Kong’s regulatory surroundings evolves.
The financial institution expects the brand new approval to assist a wider product vary.
It plans to broaden into personal fund administration, structured crypto merchandise, derivatives, and tokenised real-world property.
These additions would place AMINA among the many corporations providing institutional purchasers diversified publicity throughout a number of varieties of digital property.
Native gamers face new world competitors
Whereas AMINA is the primary worldwide financial institution to obtain this particular licence improve, it enters a aggressive market.
Hong Kong already hosts regulated native corporations akin to Tiger Brokers and HashKey, which serve institutional and retail purchasers below earlier permissions.
AMINA’s approval indicators that the market is open to extra international establishments, which may change aggressive dynamics for each world and native suppliers.
Hong Kong officers have stated on a number of events that attracting world corporations is central to the town’s digital asset technique.
AMINA’s arrival could encourage extra banks and brokerages overseas to contemplate comparable purposes as they assess alternatives in Asia’s regulated crypto markets.
Coverage modifications form Hong Kong’s crypto framework
AMINA’s approval arrives throughout a interval of fast coverage growth within the metropolis.
Hong Kong launched its new stablecoin guidelines in August, creating a proper licensing pathway for issuers.
Following this, main regional banks akin to HSBC and ICBC indicated they had been analyzing licence purposes as a part of their digital asset plans.
Town additionally accredited its first Solana exchange-traded fund in late October.
The approval positioned Hong Kong forward of the US in permitting a regulated Solana ETF and added one other product to its rising listing of crypto-linked funding choices.
Hong Kong tightened guidelines round self-custody of digital property in August.
The change targeted on bettering cybersecurity protections and decreasing dangers tied to particular person key administration.
The choice was offered as a security measure slightly than a restriction on person entry.
The mixture of recent guidelines and rising institutional curiosity has created an surroundings that’s now attracting extra world corporations.
AMINA’s regulatory progress provides momentum to Hong Kong’s technique of balancing sturdy compliance with market enlargement.
