Hong Kong continues strengthening its position as a regulated global crypto hub, supported by new stablecoin and ETF rules.
Swiss digital asset bank AMINA Bank AG has obtained regulatory approval in Hong Kong to operate crypto trading and custody services for institutional clients, marking a major milestone as the first international banking institution to receive such authorization in the region.
The approval, referred to as a Type 1 license uplift, was issued by Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC). The bank said the milestone enables it to fill a long-standing service gap created by strict regulatory standards that have limited institutional access to bank-grade digital asset services.
With the upgraded authorization, AMINA’s Hong Kong arm is now allowed to facilitate trading in 13 digital assets, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), USDC, USDT, and a selection of leading DeFi tokens.
AMINA revealed that trading activity on Hong Kong crypto exchanges surged by 233% in the first half of 2025, reflecting a growing appetite from both professional and retail traders.
According to Michael Benz, AMINA’s Head for Hong Kong, the license not only enhances its trading capabilities but also sets the stage for the bank to roll out private fund management, structured financial products, tokenized real-world assets, and derivatives to its institutional clientele.
AMINA’s entry supports Hong Kong’s ongoing campaign to attract global digital asset firms. While the bank claims first-mover advantage among international entrants, the local market already includes established platforms such as HashKey and Tiger Brokers.
In recent months, Hong Kong has tightened self-custody guidelines and approved the region’s first Solana-based ETF, outpacing the United States in this regard. Hong Kong has also taken a cautious approach to crypto. It rolled out long-awaited stablecoin rules in August. The new framework has drawn interest from traditional financial institutions, including HSBC and ICBC, who are exploring licensing opportunities.
