Liechtenstein Bank Issues Own Crypto Stable Coin, Aims to Become ‘Blockchain Investment Bank’

Liechtenstein bank Union Bank AG announced it was issuing its own security tokens and in-house cryptocurrency backed by fiat in a press release Friday, August 17.

Union Bank, which has concentrated increasingly on blockchain this year, said issuing its so-called “Union Bank Payment Coin (UBPC)” was a further step towards becoming a “full-service blockchain investment bank.”

UBPC will act as a stable coin, the institution explained, and will have fiat currencies “such as the Swiss franc” as its backing.

“Our goal is to become the world's first blockchain investment bank and to provide tangible solutions which help drive efficiencies, reduce cost base and open up new revenue opportunities for our customers and intermediaries alike,” chairman of the board of directors Mohammad Hans Dastmaltchi commented in the release.

“...As such, our fiat-backed Union Bank Payment Coin has the potential to disrupt the approach to international trade and international cross-border transactions.”

The news came the same week that major cryptocurrency exchange Binance launched a fiat-to-cryptocurrency exchange in the tiny European principality catering to both Swiss francs and euros.

Both Binance and Union Bank praised the jurisdiction’s pro-blockchain stance, indicating a desire to see functionality increase in time.

In partnership with Swiss blockchain advisory Verum Capital, Union Bank said it was now looking to introduce blockchain “throughout its processes and supporting technology.”