By Staff Writer
Maerki Baumann & Co. Ltd., a Swiss private bank, has opened a new branch in Abu Dhabi after receiving regulatory approval from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).
Based within ADGM, the branch will focus on serving blockchain, crypto-native, and technology-led businesses, offering access to banking infrastructure and regulated financial services. The move builds on Maerki Baumann’s expansion into digital assets, which began in 2019.
With its ADGM licence secured, the bank has set up a Middle East hub under the “ARCHIP” brand. The hub is designed to bundle services for clients across the crypto and tech ecosystem, including corporate banking, liquidity management, trading, custody, staking, and digital asset management, targeting private, institutional, and corporate clients.
While the hub is located in Abu Dhabi, the bank said client services will continue to be supported through its Tech Banking department in Zurich, which has worked with hundreds of technology and crypto-related clients.
The Middle East operation is led by Andreas Froehlicher, formerly the bank’s General Counsel and Head of Legal and Compliance, who has been involved in the firm’s crypto strategy since 2019 and is now based in Abu Dhabi. He reports to Lukas S. Risi, Deputy CEO and Head of Private Banking.
Chief Executive Officer Stephan A. Zwahlen said the ADGM approval marks a step in the bank’s international development, reflecting a long-term focus on technology-oriented clients while maintaining operational continuity through its Swiss base.
The expansion comes as Maerki Baumann continues to grow its digital asset-related business alongside its traditional private banking services, with the Abu Dhabi hub positioned as a regional access point within a regulated environment.
