A Swiss crypto bank makes European history
AMINA Bank, which operates under Swiss regulation, has become the first bank in Europe to officially launch Ripple Payments. This integration creates a direct connection between traditional banking systems and blockchain technology. The partnership builds on AMINA’s earlier adoption of Ripple’s stablecoin, RLUSD, and offers crypto-focused clients a more efficient way to move money internationally.
I think this is interesting because it shows how the gap between conventional finance and digital assets is slowly closing. For years, crypto companies have faced challenges when trying to work with traditional banking networks. Stablecoin transfers, in particular, created friction because most banks simply weren’t equipped to handle them.
How the integration works
By connecting directly to Ripple’s licensed infrastructure, AMINA can now process transactions through both fiat and stablecoin channels simultaneously. This means funds move faster, costs are lower, and transparency improves even for cross-border payments. Myles Harrison, AMINA’s Chief Product Officer, explained that legacy correspondent banking systems weren’t designed for digital assets in the first place.
He mentioned that this upgrade gives AMINA’s clients a competitive advantage at a time when web3 businesses are expanding globally. The old systems just couldn’t keep up with what crypto companies needed.
Ripple’s European strategy
Cassie Craddock, Ripple’s Managing Director for the UK and Europe, described AMINA as an “on-ramp” for innovators who need access to traditional financial infrastructure. Ripple’s technology helps banks support multi-currency payouts and stablecoin operations within a compliant framework.
Ripple Payments already processes more than $95 billion in volume and covers over 90% of global foreign exchange corridors. With AMINA now live, Ripple’s presence in Europe expands further. This comes at a time when MiCA regulations are creating clearer pathways for licensed digital asset activity across the continent.
Why this matters for crypto banking
AMINA Bank has grown quickly since receiving its Swiss banking license in 2019. This year, it added regulatory approvals in Hong Kong and the EU under MiCA. The Ripple integration adds payments infrastructure on top of those licenses, creating what might be one of the most advanced crypto-banking setups in Europe.
For Ripple, this partnership demonstrates how its technology can operate within a regulated bank without compromising compliance. For AMINA’s clients, it means fewer delays, fewer intermediaries, and faster access to liquidity.
As crypto companies continue to expand across borders, partnerships like this are becoming increasingly important. Ripple and AMINA are trying to establish a new standard for how banks can support digital assets—not as an afterthought, but as a core component of modern financial services.
Perhaps this is just the beginning. Other European banks might follow suit now that AMINA has taken this step. The landscape of crypto banking in Europe could look quite different in a year or two.
