ADGM’s crypto regulation framework supports banks serving blockchain and digital asset firms.
Crypto news reports that Maerki Baumann & Co. Ltd. has secured regulatory approval to open a branch in Abu Dhabi. The licence was granted by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).
The Abu Dhabi approval allows the Swiss private bank to establish a local presence in the Middle East. The branch will operate within ADGM’s international financial centre. According to the bank, the focus will be on providing banking services to blockchain and crypto-related companies.
This step places the bank within a jurisdiction that has built formal frameworks for digital assets. ADGM has developed detailed rules covering tokenised instruments and related financial services.
The licence positions Maerki Baumann to operate under clearly defined crypto regulation.
As per crypto news coverage, the Abu Dhabi branch will function as a Middle East hub. The hub will operate under the ARCHIP brand, which groups services designed for crypto-focused clients.
These services include corporate accounts, liquidity management, and digital asset custody. The bank stated that trading, staking, and digital asset management services will also be available as per the new crypto regulation update.
These services target private, institutional, and corporate clients. All offerings will remain aligned with Swiss banking operations.
While the hub sits in Abu Dhabi, service delivery will continue from Zurich. The Tech Banking department in Switzerland will provide operational support.
As per the crypto news, the team has experience working with hundreds of technology and crypto-related clients. The Abu Dhabi presence enables local relationship management. Web3 and technology firms in the region will interact with on-the-ground staff.
At the same time, core banking processes will remain anchored in Switzerland. The Middle East hub is led by Andreas Froehlicher.
He previously served as the bank’s General Counsel and Head of Legal and Compliance. Froehlicher has been involved in shaping the bank’s digital asset strategy since 2019.
The licence was issued by ADGM’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority. The regulator oversees banking, asset management, and digital asset activities within the zone. ADGM has positioned itself as a regulated environment for crypto-related financial services.
Arvind Rammaurthy, ADGM’s Chief Market Development Officer, confirmed the authority’s support. He noted that ADGM has established frameworks for digital assets and tokenised financial instruments. He also pointed to the growth of private banking and wealth management in the zone.
From a crypto regulation standpoint, the approval conveys ADGM’s approach. The jurisdiction combines traditional financial oversight with rules for emerging technologies. This structure aims to accommodate banks serving crypto-native firms.
Maerki Baumann’s entry aligns with that regulatory design. The bank’s activities will fall under ADGM supervision. This includes compliance with local rules governing digital asset services.
Crypto news context shows that the Abu Dhabi move follows a longer strategy. The bank entered the digital asset space in 2019. That decision influenced its operational and compliance framework.
The family-owned bank has since grown its digital asset-related services. It currently has a number of hundreds of corporate and individual clients in the crypto community. These are in addition to the traditional private banking business that it offers.
That model is geographically covered by the Abu Dhabi hub. It does not alter the bank’s fundamental service structure. Rather, it offers regional penetration into a regulated Middle Eastern market.
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