The Swiss private bank Maerki Baumann & Co. Ltd. has received regulatory approval from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM to open the bank’s branch in Abu Dhabi. With this step, Maerki Baumann is expanding its geographic reach outside the European market by establishing a local presence in the Middle East. The bank is aiming to support blockchain and crypto companies by offering access to essential financial infrastructure and by acting as a reliable banking partner.

With the licence granted for ADGM, the international financial centre of Abu Dhabi, Maerki Baumann is taking another step forward in its strategic development as a reliable financial partner for tech and blockchain ventures, crypto-native companies and the entrepreneurs behind them. The Middle East Hub will operate under the “ARCHIP” brand, which unites the bank’s broad range of banking services for clients from the crypto community. These include corporate accounts, liquidity management and comprehensive services in trading, custody, staking and the management of digital assets for private, institutional and corporate clients.

Having a local presence in Abu Dhabi makes the bank’s offering accessible to Web3 and other tech clients through local relationship managers. The services will be provided by the Tech Banking department in Zurich, which has extensive experience of supporting hundreds of tech companies and individuals from the crypto community. The Middle East Hub is led by lawyer Andreas Froehlicher, who previously served as General Counsel and Head Legal & Compliance at Maerki Baumann. His deep expertise in legal and regulatory matters has been instrumental in shaping the bank’s crypto strategy since 2019. He is based with his family in Abu Dhabi, reporting to Lukas S. Risi, Deputy CEO and Head Private Banking.

Stephan A. Zwahlen, CEO of Maerki Baumann, said: “The ADGM licence is a strategically important milestone for our bank. 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.”

Andreas Froehlicher, Head Middle East Hub, adds: “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 that are looking for an experienced and reliable financial partner. We combine in-depth knowledge in blockchain-driven business models with bespoke solutions and Swiss service quality – a synergy that sets us apart in the market.”

Commenting on this, Arvind Rammaurthy, ADGM’s Chief Market Development Officer said: “ADGM is pleased to welcome Maerki Baumann as a Swiss bank to our fast-growing financial ecosystem. As a jurisdiction recognised for its robust regulatory framework, ADGM has built one of the world’s most comprehensive regimes for digital assets and tokenised financial instruments, alongside a rapidly expanding wealth management and private banking ecosystem that continues to attract premier international players.”

The step taken to enter the digital asset space back in 2019 has strongly shaped Maerki Baumann’s evolution into a modern private bank with the agility to address changing client needs and regulatory developments. In addition to its core private banking business, the family-owned bank has established itself as a pioneer among Swiss banks in the field of digital assets – building a bridge between traditional banking and the digital assets ecosystem. Maerki Baumann thus guides its private banking clients in navigating this new asset class and serves several hundred corporate and private clients from the crypto community, providing access to a unique range of proven banking services.

Maerki Baumann & Co. Ltd.

Maerki Baumann & Co. Ltd. is a Zurich-based private bank founded in 1932. It focuses on its core competencies in the areas of investment advice, wealth management and serving independent asset managers. As a family-owned, traditional institution, the private bank distinguishes itself through its independence, security and transparency. The bank’s innovative modular investment approach and comprehensive crypto services underline its commitment to combining tradition with innovation. Maerki Baumann holds a Swiss banking licence and is subject to the supervision of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA). The company has over 100 employees and manages more than CHF 12 billion of client assets under management.

Further information can be found at www.maerki-baumann.ch/en and www.archip.ch.