The European principality is home to a new bank with a focus on digital assets – added to more traditional banking capabilities.

Celsion Bank, which is licensed in Liechtenstein, has started operating, it announced last Friday.

The firm, which is authorised under European Union crypto-assets regulations, aka MiCAR, can serve clients across the EU and the European Economic Area, Switzerland and other jurisdictions subject to applicable legal and regulatory requirements. 

Celsion combines digital asset capabilities with traditional banking infrastructure within a single, integrated framework. The bank focuses on clients active in digital assets, including companies, asset managers, foundations, and other corporates with digital asset exposure, it said in a statement. 

The organisation is led by CEO Dr Markus Federspiel, alongside Mauro Casellini (chief growth officer), Holger Schultes (chief operating officer), Harald Siegel (chief financial officer) and Kevin Pekar (chief risk officer).

“Clients active in digital assets require a banking setup where trading, custody and payments operate seamlessly together. That is the infrastructure Celsion provides,” Lee Weiss, chairman of the board of directors, said. 

Dr Federspiel added: “We are not simply building another bank but shaping a model that enables the long-term integration of traditional banking and digital assets within a fully-regulated environment.”

The bank is licensed by the Liechtenstein Financial Market Authority (FMA). Enacted in 2020, Liechtenstein has the The Law on Tokens and TT Service Providers (aka TVTG or the Blockchain-Act), a framework for regulating the token economy.

Left to right: Kevin Pekar (CRO), Mauro Casellini (CGO), Dr Markus Federspiel (CEO), Holger Schultes (COO), Harald Siegel (CFO).