Bitcoin Suisse Secures Bermuda Licenses for Institutional Crypto Services
Bitcoin Suisse Receives Bermuda Digital Asset and Investment Licenses – Expands Regulated Services for Institutional Clients
Key Takeaways
- Bitcoin Suisse (International) Ltd. has obtained a Class F license under Bermuda’s Digital Asset Business Act and a Class B registration under the Investment Business Act.
- The approvals were granted by the Bermuda Monetary Authority on a pre-operational basis, subject to customary conditions.
- The entity is authorised to provide digital asset management and investment advisory services to professional and institutional clients.
- The Bermuda expansion complements the group’s existing regulatory presence, including an In-Principle Approval in Abu Dhabi Global Market.
Bermuda Monetary Authority Grants Dual Regulatory Approval
Bitcoin Suisse (International) Ltd., an affiliate of the Bitcoin Suisse Group, has received two regulatory approvals from the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA). The company was granted a Class F license under Bermuda’s Digital Asset Business Act (DABA) and a Class B registration under the Investment Business Act 2003 (IBA).
The approvals were issued on a pre-operational basis. This means the company must complete customary conditions before it can commence regulated digital asset management and investment advisory services.
With these approvals, Bitcoin Suisse (International) Ltd. is authorised to provide regulated services to professional and institutional clients. The Digital Asset Business Act license covers digital asset business activities, while the Investment Business Act registration allows the entity to offer investment advisory services and discretionary portfolio management.
Focus on Professional and Institutional Clients
The Bermuda-based entity will serve professional and institutional investors outside Switzerland through a dedicated structure. According to the company, its services will include investment advisory, discretionary portfolio management mandates, and proprietary investment strategies.
Clients will be able to fund mandates using Bitcoin, stablecoins, or fiat currency. The entity operates on a non-custodial basis and relies on regulated custodial providers and partner banks for asset safekeeping and related services.
Investment decisions will be supported by an internal Chief Investment Officer office and a dedicated research function. The company states that it uses a proprietary Crypto Analysis Framework and a Global Crypto Taxonomy. The taxonomy classifies approximately 600 digital assets across six sectors and is based on more than a decade of crypto-native research.
For institutional investors and professional market participants, regulatory clarity and governance standards are central considerations when selecting digital asset service providers. The new licenses formally place Bitcoin Suisse (International) Ltd. within Bermuda’s regulatory perimeter for both digital asset business and investment services.
Bermuda’s Digital Asset Framework as Regulatory Foundation
Bermuda introduced the Digital Asset Business Act in 2018, establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital asset activities. Since then, the jurisdiction has positioned itself as a regulated environment for companies operating in the digital asset sector.
The granting of both a DABA license and an IBA registration indicates that the Bermuda Monetary Authority has assessed the entity’s compliance infrastructure, governance standards, and operational setup in line with local requirements.
For companies seeking to provide digital asset services across borders, operating from a jurisdiction with a defined legal framework can be relevant for institutional counterparties. In this case, Bermuda serves as the domicile of Bitcoin Suisse (International) Ltd., which is based in Hamilton and fully owned by BTCS Holding Ltd., the group’s holding entity.
Part of a Broader International Expansion Strategy
The Bermuda approval forms part of a broader international regulatory rollout by the Bitcoin Suisse Group. The company states that it already holds an In-Principle Approval from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of the Abu Dhabi Global Market.
The Abu Dhabi approval reflects the group’s intention to serve clients in the Middle East under a regulated framework. Together with the Bermuda licenses, this expands the group’s regulated footprint beyond Switzerland.
Bitcoin Suisse AG, headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, was founded in 2013. The group provides trading, custody, staking, and lending services to institutional clients, crypto foundations, family offices, asset managers, and high-net-worth individuals. It employs more than 200 professionals across Switzerland, Europe, and the Middle East.
Through the Bermuda entity, the group aims to provide digital asset wealth management services to professional and institutional clients internationally, including ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices, external asset managers, and corporate counterparties.
Implications for Institutional Digital Asset Services
The combination of a Digital Asset Business Act license and an Investment Business Act registration allows Bitcoin Suisse (International) Ltd. to operate within a defined supervisory framework for both digital asset activities and traditional-style investment services.
For institutional investors evaluating digital asset exposure, regulatory status, custody arrangements, and governance structures are key elements in due diligence processes. The non-custodial model adopted by the Bermuda entity, combined with reliance on regulated custodians and partner banks, forms part of its operational structure.
The company’s expansion also reflects the continued development of regulated digital asset management structures aimed at professional investors rather than retail users.
Our Assessment
Bitcoin Suisse (International) Ltd. has secured two regulatory approvals in Bermuda that enable it to provide digital asset management and investment advisory services to professional and institutional clients, subject to final operational conditions. The licenses under the Digital Asset Business Act and the Investment Business Act establish a regulated framework for its activities outside Switzerland. Together with its existing In-Principle Approval in Abu Dhabi Global Market, the Bermuda expansion extends the group’s international regulatory presence and formalises its offering of institutional digital asset services across multiple jurisdictions.
