ABN AMRO Bank of the Netherlands obtains MiCAR license and completes its first blockchain derivative transaction

CoinVoice has learned that Dutch bank ABN AMRO has made new progress in the digital asset field. Its German subsidiary Hauck Aufhäuser Digital Custody has obtained authorization under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR), allowing it to provide crypto asset custody and trading services to institutional clients under a unified regulatory framework, and to gradually expand to other EU member states. MiCAR officially came into effect on December 30, 2024. This approval means that ABN AMRO is one of the early institutions to obtain this license. Meanwhile, ABN AMRO also completed its first cross-border over-the-counter “Smart Derivative Contract” (SDC) transaction with DZ BANK. The transaction operated on blockchain technology for 10 days, with settlement, valuation, and collateral management automatically completed on-chain. Related payments were executed instantly via SEPA and returned to the smart contract, aiming to reduce operational complexity and counterparty risk in OTC derivatives trading. ABN AMRO stated that regulatory compliance and on-chain financial infrastructure will become an important part of its efforts to promote digital assets and financial innovation in Europe.