ZA Bank Launches Crypto Trading Service For Retail, First In Asia!

ZA Bank opens crypto trading services for its nasaba. (Photo; Doc. Virtual Assets)

JAKARTA - Hong Kong's largest digital bank, ZA Bank, made a new history by launching crypto asset trading services for retail customers. With this, ZA Bank became the first bank in Asia to allow customers to buy and sell digital assets such as Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) directly through their banking applications.

Through a partnership with HashKey Exchange, the licensed crypto trading platform in Hong Kong, ZA Bank, presents easy and secure transactions. In its official statement, ZA Bank said that customers can now trade major cryptocurrencies in the Hong Kong dollar (HKD) or US dollar (USD) without the need to change platforms.

This Terkalilayan fee is available 24/7, with a minimum transaction value of 70 US dollars (around Rp1.1 million) or 600 Hong Kong dollars per transaction, making it accessible to various groups. As an initial incentive, ZA Bank waived commission fees until June 2025. After that, it will be charged a platform fee of 1.5% and a fixed commission of 1.99 UScurrency (Rp31,482) or 15 Hong Kong dollars per transaction.

According to Calvin Ng Chung-ho, Deputy Executive Director of ZA Bank, this step is a response to growing demand for crypto services. Based on a survey by the Hong Kong Investment Funds Association, 75% of retail investors in the region showed high interest in trading digital currencies.

This launch is in line with Hong Kong's vision of becoming a global hub for digital asset trading. Since 2022, the city has licensed several major crypto platforms, including HashKey and OSL Exchange.

However, not all went smoothly. Of the 24 companies that registered, 12 withdrew their apps in 2024, including big players such as Bybit and Huobi HK. Even so, ZA Bank remains optimistic that this innovation will strengthen Hong Kong's position in the global crypto industry.