ABN AMRO Goes Digital: MiCAR Approval And Blockchain-Based Derivatives
ABN AMRO has taken a significant step in its digital innovation strategy later than its German subsidiary, Hauck Aufhäuser Digital Custody, secured authorisation under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation. The MiCAR licence enables the firm to provide crypto custody and transaction services to institutional clients within a harmonised European regulatory framework.
MiCAR, which came into force on 30 December 2024, establishes unified rules for crypto-asset services across the EU. With regulatory approval from Germany’s financial watchdog BaFin, Hauck Aufhäuser Digital Custody can now secureguard and on behalf of clients and, over time, passport these services across other EU member states.
As one of the ahead recipients of a MiCAR licence, the business will continue to focus on institutional clients while offering under ABN AMRO’s broader European strategy.
Smart Derivative Contracts Reduce Risk And Complexity
Alongside its regulatory progress, ABN AMRO has completed its first international over-the-counter Smart Derivative Contract transaction in partnership with DZ BANK. The trade represents a milestone in the use of blockchain technology to modernise .
The transaction ran live for ten days and was fully automated using distributed ledger technology. Settlement, valuation, and collateral management were processed on-chain, while daily payments were executed instantly via SEPA and confirmed back to the smart contract, improving transparency and operational speed.
By relying on pre-agreed market data and interest rate curves, the Smart Derivative Contract framework eliminates collateral disputes and streamlines daily settlement processes. This approach addresses longstanding inefficiencies in , which is typically complex and cost-intensive for corporate and institutional users.
Digital Innovation Anchored In Long-Term Growth
Yorick Naeff, Head of Innovation, per 1 February 2026, at ABN AMRO, said: “Executing our first international over-the-counter (OTC) SDC trade and securing a pan-European MiCAR licence underscores ABN AMRO’s commitment to embedding digital innovation into our service offering. Delivering premium answers in this area for our clients is at the heart of our growth ambitions across Europe.”
Dr. Miguel Vaz, General Manager of Hauck Aufhäuser Digital Custody, added: “With the MiCAR license, we have secured the regulatory foundation essential for the future, enabling us to systematically expand our business model. We will continue to pursue this path consistently in close collaboration with our business partners.”
Matthias Bergner, Head of Treasury at DZ BANK, highlighted the broader implications: “With the first international SDC transaction, we have taken a decisive step toward establishing the SDC as an industry-wide standard for the digital settlement of OTC derivatives. With the SDC, we are creating a blueprint for fully digital financial instruments that generate added value – in the case of the SDC, this is the reduction of counterparty risks.”
