SEBA Bank Grabs Another FINMA License

  • The newly acquired CISA license will enable SEBA to offer its professional clients more crypto-based investment opportunities.
  • SEBA can now facilitate an institutional-grade custodian service for Swiss-native collective investment schemes.
Physical version of Cryptocurrencies and Switzerland Flag

Shutterstock

The Swiss Financial Market Authority (FINMA) has approved the CISA license application of SEBA Bank AG, a Swiss-based crypto-focused institution, SEBA said in a press release on 29 September.

According to the announcement, the newly acquired CISA license enables SEBA to offer institutional-grade custodian services to Swiss-native “collective investment schemes”, making it the first institution in the country to gain such a license. With approval from FINMA, SEBA can now provide its professional clients with more crypto-based investment opportunities. The CEO of SEBA Bank, Guido Buehler, said in a statement:

“With our new CISA license, SEBA Bank continues its pioneering role in the institutional digital asset space. Asset Managers can now offer strategies based on crypto or other digital asset underlying to a broader audience utilizing Swiss-based mutual fund structures secured by SEBA Bank as the CISA-licensed custodian.”

Established in 2018, SEBA Bank had the goal of providing its clients with the next-generation digital banking. With that goal in mind, the company took only an year to acquire a banking and securities firm license from FINMA, and in 2019 introduced its SEBAwallet app, SEBA card, and e-banking services — all supporting five cryptocurrencies — to its clients.

Back in July 2020, SEBA was chosen as a participant in Banque de France’s digital Euro experiment, which was successfully completed in June of this year. In May, SEBA also expended its reach to the DeFi space with the addition of UNI, SNX, and YFI to its pool of supported crypto assets.

Discussion
Related Coverage
Binance’s Custody Arm to Apply for License in Singapore
  • The now rebranded custody arm of crypto exchange Binance, called Ceffu, is planning to apply for a Capital Markets Service license with the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
  • If it is able to acquire the license, Ceffy plans to offer custodial services to only institutional and high net-worth individuals in Singapore.
March 2, 2023, 1:56 PM
binance

Shutterstock

SEBA Bank Closes $119M Series C
  • The funding round saw participation from notable investors such as Alameda Research, FTX exchange, DeFi Technologies, and others.
  • SEBA now plans to fund its international expansion, invest in new products, and grow its team in “new priority markets”.
SEBA Bank Enables Users to Earn Yields on Crypto
  • The new SEBA Earn product will enable customers to earn yields from proof-of-stake protocols such as Polkadot, Tezos and Cardano.
  • Institutions will also have access to DeFi programs, in addition to centralized lending and borrowing of BTC and ETH.