Press Release / April 9, 2026
Crypto Finance, AMINA, and Incore Bank Complete Second-Phase Payment Infrastructure Pilot on Google Cloud Universal Ledger for Instant Account-to-Account Transfers
- Pilot partners showcase next-generation payment infrastructure with instant settlement, allowing for netting and reducing costs as the network scales
- Google Cloud Universal Ledger validation lays the foundation for expanded complex cross-border and multi-currency transactions
- The pilot runs fully within existing anti-money laundering (AML) frameworks, keeping commercial bank money secure throughout the process
Zurich, Switzerland — April 9, 2026 - Crypto Finance, AMINA Bank AG (AMINA), and Incore Bank have completed the second step within the first phase of their payment infrastructure pilot on Google Cloud Universal Ledger (GCUL), advancing from their November 2025 proof-of-concept to interbank production validation.
The partnership of the three regulated financial intermediaries demonstrates capabilities that consolidate multiple transfers into single bank-to-bank clearing operations, establishing the technology's operational readiness while showcasing how settlement efficiency can increase exponentially as additional institutions join the network. As financial markets evolve toward always-on services, this pilot demonstrates a pragmatic path to modernizing payment operations without disrupting established regulatory frameworks or introducing new forms of digital money. AML and sanctions screenings are integrated directly into the transaction flow, enabling consistent, efficient compliance while upholding stringent data privacy standards.
While the first part of the initial infrastructure pilot demonstrated near-real-time settlement using GCUL, the second part of the pilot has seen the participating banks process live client transactions in a production environment.
“We’re moving toward a more connected financial system in which money and assets can settle in real time without compromising trust,” said Stijn Vander Straeten, CEO of Crypto Finance Group. “This pilot shows what that looks like in practice: regulated banks, production-grade processes, and a shared-ledger layer that removes friction. It’s a meaningful step toward the next generation of financial markets.”
“This pilot with Google Cloud Universal Ledger validates our technology infrastructure's readiness for production environments within existing regulatory frameworks,” said Franz Bergmueller, CEO of AMINA. "We've demonstrated real operational capabilities and established a foundation for addressing complex payment challenges. The netting capabilities we've shown could be particularly valuable in cross-currency transactions, where our multi-jurisdictional regulated presence across Switzerland, the EU, Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi, and the UK positions us to leverage this technology for global payment optimization.”
“The key achievement from an integration perspective was how seamlessly the solution could be embedded into our open platform, which we operate for multiple banks,” said Mark Dambacher, CEO of Incore Bank. “This enables transactions without impacting the customer experience and provides a strong foundation for building additional value-adding services for our clients.”
During this step of the pilot, Crypto Finance acted as Currency Operator, defining governance standards, onboarding criteria, and transaction rules, while Incore Bank and AMINA integrated the new capabilities directly into their regulated banking environments.
Enabled by Google Cloud’s private, permissioned ledger infrastructure, the initiative demonstrated how secure, fully automated domestic transfers can run around the clock, combining Switzerland’s trusted payment rails with a modern shared ledger designed to enhance efficiency and interoperability.
“We're proud to support Switzerland's advancement of next-generation payment infrastructure," said James Tromans, Managing Director, Web3 and Digital Assets, Google Cloud. "This pilot showcases how Google Cloud Universal Ledger can enhance financial services while operating within established regulatory requirements.”
The pilot demonstrates how shared-ledger technology can complement existing payment infrastructure rather than replace it, providing a practical foundation for more connected payment ecosystems. Looking ahead, the partners plan to explore additional use cases including cross-currency settlement, foreign-exchange workflows, and digital asset transfers: applications where the demonstrated netting capabilities would provide material operational benefits across broader institutional networks.
About Crypto Finance Group
Crypto Finance, part of Deutsche Börse Group, provides professional and fully regulated digital asset solutions to institutional clients. The Group comprises Crypto Finance AG, regulated by FINMA in Switzerland and offering trading, custody, wallet infrastructure, settlement and staking services, as well as Crypto Finance (Deutschland) GmbH, regulated by BaFin in Germany and offering trading and custody services. Crypto Finance AG is also a SIX-approved crypto custodian for ETP issuers. Operating across the full digital asset value chain, Crypto Finance enables banks and financial institutions to launch digital asset services by acting as a preferred outsourcing partner in Europe and Switzerland - handling the technical and operational complexities of blockchain so that institutions can focus on client experience, distribution and governance. As part of Deutsche Börse Group, a leading global provider of financial market infrastructure, Crypto Finance is committed to resilience, regulatory excellence and providing trusted access to digital asset markets. In early 2025, Crypto Finance became one of the first companies in the EU to receive a MiCA license for the European market.
For further information, please visit: www.crypto-finance.com
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Jutta Holtkötter
Head of Marketing & Communications
press@crypto-finance.com
+41 41 552 45 68
About AMINA — Crypto. Banking. Simplified.
Founded in April 2018 and established in Zug (Switzerland), AMINA Bank AG is a pioneer in the crypto banking industry. In August 2019, AMINA Bank AG received the Swiss Banking and Securities Dealer License from the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (“FINMA”). In February 2022, AMINA Bank AG, Abu Dhabi Global Markets (“ADGM”) Branch received Financial Services Permission from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (“FSRA”) of ADGM. In November 2023, AMINA (Hong Kong) Limited received its Type 1 (Dealing in Securities), Type 4 (Advising on Securities) and Type 9 (Asset Management) licenses from the Securities and Futures Commission (“SFC”). In October 2025, the firm’s Type 1 license was further approved for uplift to include digital asset dealing services for Professional Investors under Hong Kong’s digital asset regulatory framework. In October 2025, AMINA (Austria) AG (“AMINA EU”) received its CASP license from Austria’s Financial Market Authority (“FMA”) under the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCAR) framework.
CVVC Global Report and CB Insights named AMINA as one of the Top 50 Companies within the blockchain ecosystem. In 2023, AMINA won the European WealthBriefing Award in the Digital Assets Solution, Fund Manager category. AMINA was most recently recognised as Institutional Digital Asset Innovation of the Year at the Hedgeweek® Global Digital Assets Awards 2025.
To learn more about AMINA, visit www.aminagroup.com
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Gaby Hui
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gaby.hui@aminagroup.com
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About Incore
Incore Bank AG, headquartered in Schlieren, Switzerland, was founded in 2007 and is an internationally oriented B2B transaction bank for traditional and digital assets regulated by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA.
Innovative solutions, a comprehensive range of services, and a high level of technological expertise position Incore Bank as the preferred tech bank and partner for banks, financial intermediaries, and companies in Switzerland and abroad.
Incore Bank stands for banking and technology from a single source: modular, innovative, and secure.
For further information, please visit: www.incorebank.ch
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Simone C. Drill
Head Marketing & Communication
Simone.Drill@incorebank.ch