Introduction
Swiss crypto-focused financial institution AMINA has set a significant precedent by becoming the inaugural lender regulated by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) to provide custody and trading services for Canton Coin. This advancement enables clients to engage with the Canton Network in a compliant manner.
Canton Network Overview
The Canton Network, designed specifically for capital market activities including tokenized asset management, repo transactions, and settlement, was developed by Digital Asset. Its endorsement includes prominent organizations such as Visa, Goldman Sachs, BitGo, Citadel, and the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation.
Institutional Integration
With the latest integration, institutional investors utilizing AMINA’s banking platform can now hold and trade Canton Coin independently from crypto-native custodial services or exchanges. AMINA highlighted that this framework is well-positioned to assist businesses that leverage the Canton Network’s infrastructure for operations involving tokenization and financial settlements.
Expansion in Asia
Located in Zug, Switzerland, AMINA has been actively enhancing its suite of regulated crypto offerings across various jurisdictions over the last twelve months. In November 2025, the bank was granted a Type 1 license upgrade by the Securities and Futures Commission in Hong Kong, which permits its satellite office to deliver crypto trading and custody services specifically to institutional clients. The bank remarked that Hong Kong has emerged as one of the premier regulated crypto marketplaces in Asia for professional investors and family offices.
Broadened Digital Asset Support
As part of its licensing approval in Hong Kong, AMINA also broadened its array of supported digital assets, now including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, and USD Coin among 13 others. Michael Benz, who oversees AMINA’s operations in Hong Kong and the Asia-Pacific region, noted that this regulatory endorsement will enhance the bank’s ability to satisfy the growing institutional appetite for regulated access to crypto assets and tokenized financial products.
Institutional Interest and Market Trends
The Canton Network is decidedly oriented towards serving traditional finance professionals rather than the retail crypto user demographic, and interest from institutional players has notably surged in recent months. For instance, in April, custodial service provider BitGo enhanced its support for Canton services to include on-chain settlement and trading capabilities in addition to custody.
Furthermore, S&P Dow Jones Indices recently incorporated its US Treasury Index benchmark onto the Canton Network, enabling institutions to obtain tokenized benchmark fixed-income data, reflecting a shift toward more integrated solutions in finance. As competition intensifies within the institutional blockchain space, various regulated financial entities are exploring tokenized assets and settlement networks. R3’s Corda is focused on banks and regulated marketplaces using private, permissioned systems, while Hyperledger Fabric maintains traction among financial institutions and corporations employing blockchain for internal applications.
European Market Presence
In addition to its efforts in the Asian market, AMINA has also fortified its regulated digital asset presence within Europe. Earlier this month, the Austrian Financial Market Authority approved the bank’s subsidiary under the European Union’s MiCA regulations, facilitating its ability to provide trading, custody, and portfolio management services across the European Economic Area. The bank’s product offerings have diversified to include institutional-focused services related to Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, staking services for Polygon, and reward accounts for USD Coin, further asserting its position amidst escalating competition among regulated crypto banks.
