ADGM Approves Maerki Baumann to Launch Crypto Banking in Abu Dhabi

Swiss private bank Maerki Baumann & Co. Ltd. has received regulatory approval from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) to open its Abu Dhabi branch. The move marks the bank’s first direct presence outside Europe and aims to support blockchain and crypto companies with essential financial infrastructure and banking services. The Maerki Baumann ADGM approval enables the bank, operating under the ARCHIP brand, to offer corporate accounts, liquidity management, trading, custody, staking, and digital asset services to private, institutional, and corporate clients.

The branch is intended to offer Web3 and tech clients access to local relationship managers while leveraging expertise from Maerki Baumann’s Tech Banking department in Zurich, which has supported hundreds of technology-focused companies and crypto-native clients since 2019.

Maerki Baumann ADGM Approval Supports Crypto Banking Expansion

The Middle East Hub is led by Andreas Froehlicher, former General Counsel and Head Legal & Compliance at Maerki Baumann, who reports to Lukas S. Risi, Deputy CEO and Head Private Banking. Froehlicher will oversee the Abu Dhabi operations, bringing regulatory and legal expertise crucial to the bank’s crypto strategy.

CEO Stephan A. Zwahlen emphasized the strategic significance of the ADGM licence:

“The international expansion of our Tech Banking business underscores the bank’s long-term commitment to providing first-class banking services to technology-focused companies. While our Middle East Hub ensures close client proximity, service delivery from Switzerland guarantees access to Maerki Baumann’s established expertise and proven track record.”

Froehlicher added:

“Through our Abu Dhabi branch, we are making our banking expertise and digital asset services accessible to clients and entrepreneurs in the region. This presence allows us to connect directly with tech, blockchain, and crypto companies seeking an experienced and reliable financial partner.”

ADGM Welcomes Swiss Bank into Growing Ecosystem

Commenting on the expansion, Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief Market Development Officer at ADGM, said:

“ADGM is pleased to welcome Maerki Baumann as a Swiss bank to our fast-growing financial ecosystem. Our jurisdiction provides one of the world’s most comprehensive regimes for digital assets and tokenized financial instruments, attracting premier international players.”

Since entering the digital asset space in 2019, Maerki Baumann has evolved into a modern private bank bridging traditional banking and the digital asset ecosystem. The bank now serves several hundred corporate and private clients from the crypto community, providing access to a broad range of banking and digital asset services.