area2Invest is a digital market place for classic and tokenised financial products. Bank Frick and the founders aim to expand the platform with additional partners from the financial industry.
Balzers, Ruggell (LI) – Following a capital increase at 21.finance AG, Bank Frick now holds a majority in the Liechtenstein-based fintech company of 50.14 per cent of the share capital. Founders Max J. Heinzle and Udo Oksakowski hold just under 30 per cent of the shares. The remaining shares are in free float.
Bank Frick already acquired a stake in 21.finance AG in September 2018, buying just over 25 per cent of the Liechtenstein fintech company’s shares. 21.finance AG digitises and automates processes on the area2Invest investment platform in compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements.
“We believe there is enormous potential for financial institutions, issuers and other financial product promoters to make their products accessible to various investor groups on area2Invest on a fully digitised, cross-border basis”, says Raphael Haldner, Head of Fund and Capital Markets at Bank Frick and a member of the Board of Directors of 21.finance AG. “The Bank currently holds a majority in 21.finance”, he adds. “However, both Bank Frick and 21.finance AG are open for discussions with other potential strong partners.”
On the area2Invest investment platform, issuers can present and offer interested investors their structured financing proposals on a public or private basis (public or private placements, respectively). “For Bank Frick, area2Invest is an excellent showcase via which we can present and sell our proposals and issues to our customers”, Haldner explains. “We are confident that other financial institutions will see the potential too.”
“In the first phase, we will enable the primary market issue of classic transferable assets such as funds, bonds and certificates. After that, we would soon like to begin issuing security tokens”, Haldner continues. “The fact that we distribute regulated financial products via area2Invest is a unique selling point that clearly distinguishes us from the vast majority of fintechs, who primarily operate in the field of crowd investing.”
Unlisted issuers get better access to equity, debt and mezzanine capital via area2Invest, while investors get easier access to interesting and exclusive investments. “We believe there is great potential, particularly for financial intermediaries. With the help of area2Invest, they can make capital procurement easier for their customers, issue their own financial products and offer their customers alternative investments”, Haldner explains. “In the current environment of low interest rates and the associated investment crisis, area2Invest can offer interesting investment opportunities for investors.”
The first issues will be released for investors on area2Invest.com in the second half of 2019. “In recent months, we have invested a lot of resources in further developing the processes and the user interface in order to meet regulatory requirements on the one hand and optimise the user experience on the other.”
“Our participation in 21.finance AG is a further component in the implementation of our strategy of making innovative banking services and financial products digitally available to financial intermediaries”, says Bank Frick’s Raphael Haldner in conclusion.
Bank Frick specialises in banking for intermediaries. The Liechtenstein bank provides a fully integrated offering of classic banking and blockchain banking services. Its clients include fintechs, asset managers, payment service providers, family offices, fund promoters, pension funds and fiduciaries.
Source: Company Press Release
