Syngum is hiring a former UBS banker in a key business role, finews.com has learned.
The Zurich-based crypto bank is hiring Oliver Banz as its head of business, a source familiar with the matter told finews.com. A spokesman for Sygnum, which recently received a banking license from Swiss regulator Finma, confirmed the move. His hire is effective immediately.
Banz is a veteran banker who left UBS' private bank, where he was a managing director, 13 months ago. A former McKinsey consultant, Banz spent four months as the co-CEO of feted Swiss start-up Advanon last year, and also runs a networking organization for top executives.
Asian Push
Like rival Seba, Sygnum recently wrapped Finma's staggered regulatory checklist to become a bank. Sygnum, run by Mathias Imbach and Manuel Krieger, also clinched a fund license in Singapore, part of an effort to target institutional clients in Asia with digital asset investments.
Besides the two banks, Crypto Finance Group is looking to get a license as a securities trader, while Bitcoin Suisse expects to win a banking license later this year. All four companies have plans to replenish their coffers this year with outside funding, as finews.com reported earlier this month.
