TLDR
AMINA Bank AG, a Swiss crypto bank, secured Hong Kong approval to offer institutional crypto trading and custody via a Type 1 license uplift, not a VATP exchange license (Yahoo Finance).
- First international bank with this Hong Kong approval (Yahoo Finance).
- Covers 13 major assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDC, and USDT (Crypto.news).
- VATP licenses remain for platform operators such as OSL and HashKey (Yahoo Finance).
Deep Dive
1. Who and What License
AMINA Bank AG received an SFC Type 1 license uplift in Hong Kong, allowing regulated spot trading and custody for institutional clients. This makes AMINA the first international banking group to operate in this capacity in the city (Yahoo Finance). The bank indicated support for 13 tokens including BTC, ETH, USDC, and USDT (Crypto.news).
Institutions now have a bank-grade, onshore route into crypto under Hong Kongs regime. Retail access remains limited to large?cap tokens via approved venues.
2. VATP vs Bank License
A VATP license is the SFCs regime for virtual asset trading platforms (exchanges), with names like OSL and HashKey licensed under it (Yahoo Finance). AMINAs approval is a Type 1 securities dealing uplift tailored to bank-led institutional crypto services, distinct from the VATP platform license (Crypto.news).
If you meant which bank got a VATP, none. AMINAs path is a bank dealing license, while VATP is for exchange operators.
3. Why It Matters Now
Hong Kong has accelerated its crypto framework, which is drawing global financial institutions. AMINAs move follows rising institutional flows and policy efforts to deepen regulated access, with noted growth in Hong Kong crypto volumes this year (CoinJournal).
Institutional participation should climb as bank-grade custody and trading expand, potentially improving liquidity and compliance standards for professional investors.
Conclusion
AMINA Bank AG is the bank with new Hong Kong approval for institutional crypto trading and custody, achieved via a Type 1 license uplift. If youre asking about a VATP exchange license, those are for platforms like OSL and HashKey, while banks operate under different SFC permissions aligned to securities dealing.
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