Key Takeaways
- • Komainu completed two-way transfers of a digital asset portfolio with First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), with transfers settling instantly, demonstrating that FAB can both move digital assets into and out of its custody environment.
- • The milestone operationalises Komainu's collaboration with FAB Global Markets, integrating regulated custody and connectivity with FAB's existing infrastructure.
- • The custody framework is designed to support future institutional financing, including lending backed by digital assets held in regulated, segregated custody.
- • Komainu positions its custody-first infrastructure as fitting within banks' existing controls, workflows and governance, lowering the operational change required to participate.
Summary
Komainu, a regulated digital asset services provider and custodian backed by Laser Digital and Blockstream, has completed the two-way transfer of a portfolio of digital assets with First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) through the institutional digital asset custody framework the two firms established, according to a Business Wire release dated November 3, 2026. The transfers settled instantly.
The milestone marks the operationalisation of Komainu's collaboration with FAB Global Markets, integrating regulated digital asset custody and connectivity capabilities with FAB's existing infrastructure. The transfers demonstrate the bank's ability to move digital assets both into and out of the custody environment, which the company says validates the infrastructure required for institutional digital asset activity.
The framework has also been designed to support future institutional financing solutions, including lending backed by digital assets held in regulated custody. This provides a foundation for FAB to further integrate digital assets into its financial markets infrastructure and develop new institutional financing capabilities.
Paul Frost-Smith, Group Managing Director of Komainu, said banks need digital asset infrastructure that meets the same standards as the rest of their business. "Completing these transfers with FAB shows that regulated custody can be integrated into a bank's existing systems and run as part of its day-to-day operations," he said, adding that the firm is pleased to support FAB as it develops its institutional offering, including financing backed by assets held in segregated, regulated custody.
The release frames the main challenge for banks as having shifted from strategy to implementation. The milestone forms part of FAB's wider digital assets programme, which also includes recent work on tokenised deposits and Swift ledger. Komainu is headquartered in Jersey, with offices in London, Dubai and Singapore. Komainu (Jersey) Limited is regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission, and Komainu MEA FZE is regulated by the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority.
The milestone marks the operationalisation of Komainu's collaboration with FAB Global Markets, integrating regulated digital asset custody and connectivity capabilities with FAB's existing infrastructure. The transfers demonstrate the bank's ability to move digital assets both into and out of the custody environment, which the company says validates the infrastructure required for institutional digital asset activity.
The framework has also been designed to support future institutional financing solutions, including lending backed by digital assets held in regulated custody. This provides a foundation for FAB to further integrate digital assets into its financial markets infrastructure and develop new institutional financing capabilities.
Paul Frost-Smith, Group Managing Director of Komainu, said banks need digital asset infrastructure that meets the same standards as the rest of their business. "Completing these transfers with FAB shows that regulated custody can be integrated into a bank's existing systems and run as part of its day-to-day operations," he said, adding that the firm is pleased to support FAB as it develops its institutional offering, including financing backed by assets held in segregated, regulated custody.
The release frames the main challenge for banks as having shifted from strategy to implementation. The milestone forms part of FAB's wider digital assets programme, which also includes recent work on tokenised deposits and Swift ledger. Komainu is headquartered in Jersey, with offices in London, Dubai and Singapore. Komainu (Jersey) Limited is regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission, and Komainu MEA FZE is regulated by the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority.
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