Crypto News: Swiss Private Bank Maerki Baumann Receives Abu Dhabi Licence to Bank Crypto Firms

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.

Crypto Regulation Shapes the Banks ADGM Strategy

The licence was issued by ADGMs 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 ADGMs 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 Tracks a Shift That Began in 2019

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 banks fundamental service structure. Rather, it offers regional penetration into a regulated Middle Eastern market.