AMINA Bank (SEBA): Swiss Crypto Banking

Organisation Overview

AMINA Bank AG (formerly SEBA Bank AG) is a FINMA-licensed digital asset bank headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, providing integrated traditional and digital asset banking services to institutional clients, corporations, and qualified private investors. As one of only two Swiss banks holding a full banking licence specifically encompassing digital asset services — alongside Sygnum Bank — AMINA occupies a pivotal position in the regulated crypto-financial landscape.

The bank rebranded from SEBA Bank to AMINA Bank in 2023, reflecting its strategic evolution and global expansion ambitions. The name change signalled a shift toward a broader digital asset banking proposition, moving beyond the institution’s Swiss origins to serve a global institutional client base from offices in Zug, Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore.

History and Founding

SEBA Bank was founded in 2018 by Guido Buehler and a team of Swiss banking professionals who identified a structural gap in the market: institutional investors required regulated banking infrastructure for digital asset exposure, but existing crypto service providers lacked banking licences while traditional banks lacked digital asset expertise.

The company raised CHF 103 million in an initial funding round — one of the largest capital raises in Swiss fintech history — and commenced the FINMA banking licence application process. The licence was granted in August 2019, making SEBA (alongside Sygnum) one of the world’s first banks authorised to provide comprehensive digital asset services under full prudential banking supervision.

The bank’s location in Zug, at the heart of Crypto Valley, provided proximity to the blockchain ecosystem while offering the institutional credibility of a Swiss banking licence. Subsequent expansion into Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore extended the bank’s geographic reach into key Asian and Middle Eastern institutional markets.

Banking Services

Custody

AMINA provides institutional crypto custody services combining cold storage infrastructure, multi-signature governance, and integration with the bank’s trading and lending platforms. Custody operations meet Swiss banking standards for asset safekeeping, including segregated client asset protection and independent audits.

Trading

The bank’s trading desk offers institutional execution across major digital assets, including spot trading, algorithmic execution, and over-the-counter block trades. Trading services are integrated with the bank’s settlement infrastructure, enabling same-day fiat settlement for digital asset transactions.

Asset Management

AMINA offers managed digital asset investment products including actively managed certificates, structured products, and staking yield strategies. These products are structured within the bank’s regulatory framework, providing institutional clients with compliant exposure to digital asset returns.

Research

The bank publishes institutional-grade digital asset research, covering market analysis, protocol evaluations, and regulatory developments. Research output supports client decision-making and demonstrates the bank’s intellectual capital in the digital asset space.

Fiat Banking

As a fully licensed bank, AMINA provides CHF, USD, EUR, and other fiat currency accounts integrated with digital asset services. Corporate banking services include payments, treasury management, and multi-currency accounts — traditional banking functions delivered alongside digital asset capabilities. For broader Swiss private banking and FINMA-related context, see zugfinance.com.

Regulatory Framework

AMINA’s regulatory positioning includes:

• FINMA banking licence: Full prudential supervision under the Swiss Banking Act
• Securities dealer authorisation: Capital markets activities under FINMA oversight
• International licences: Regulatory approvals in Hong Kong (SFC), Abu Dhabi (ADGM), and Singapore (MAS)
• AML/KYC compliance: Bank-grade anti-money laundering infrastructure
• Capital adequacy: Basel framework compliance ensuring institutional solvency standards
• Client asset protection: Swiss law protections for segregated client assets

This multi-jurisdictional regulatory framework enables AMINA to serve institutional clients across major financial centres while maintaining consistent compliance standards.

Strategic Investors

AMINA has attracted strategic investment from prominent financial institutions, including Julius Baer — one of Switzerland’s leading private banks. This investment reflects the convergence between traditional private banking and digital asset services, with established financial institutions seeking exposure to regulated crypto infrastructure.

The strategic investor base provides AMINA with credibility, distribution networks, and expertise that pure-play crypto companies lack, while the bank’s digital asset capabilities offer traditional finance partners access to a rapidly growing asset class.

Market Position

AMINA competes in the institutional digital asset banking segment alongside Sygnum Bank, Bitcoin Suisse, and traditional banks expanding into digital assets. The bank’s differentiators include:

• Multi-jurisdictional presence: Offices and licences across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East
• Strategic banking investors: Credibility from traditional banking shareholders
• Integrated platform: Combined traditional and digital asset banking on a single platform
• Institutional focus: Purpose-built for professional investor requirements

The bank manages significant assets under management, serving institutional clients including asset managers, pension funds, family offices, and corporate treasuries.

Outlook

AMINA’s strategic trajectory focuses on geographic expansion, deepening institutional service capabilities, and capturing market share as institutional crypto adoption accelerates globally. The bank’s multi-jurisdictional licensing provides competitive advantages as regulatory frameworks mature across markets, and its position in Crypto Valley anchors its credibility within the global blockchain ecosystem.

Donovan Vanderbilt is a contributing editor at ZUG BLOCKCHAIN. This article is informational and does not constitute investment or financial advice.