AMINA Bank Secures Hong Kong Institutional Crypto License
AMINA Bank’s Hong Kong arm has secured a Type 1 license upgrade from the Securities and Futures Commission, becoming the first international bank to offer institutional crypto trading and custody services in Hong Kong. Operating through its newly licensed subsidiary AMINA HK, the bank can now support 13 digital assets — led by BTC, ETH, USDC and USDT — with SFC-compliant custody infrastructure for secure 24/7 trading and asset management. The move fills a gap in Hong Kong’s institutional digital asset market, targeting professional investors such as family offices, corporations and high-net-worth individuals. Having reported a 233% surge in trading volume on local exchanges in H1 2025 and recently obtaining an EU MiCA license, AMINA plans to expand into private fund management, structured products, derivatives and tokenized real-world assets.
Bullish
Regulatory approval for AMINA Bank to provide institutional crypto trading and custody in Hong Kong marks a major step for institutional adoption. The Type 1 SFC license upgrade and SFC-compliant custody infrastructure boost market confidence and open new liquidity channels for BTC, ETH, USDC and USDT. In the short term, this is likely to drive increased trading volumes and institutional inflows. Over the long term, expanded services — including private funds, derivatives and tokenized assets — will further solidify Hong Kong’s position as a digital asset hub and foster sustained market growth.