Amber Group started out with a clear vision: democratising access to crypto assets. And that approach has clearly struck a chord, taking the company from start-up to triple unicorn in five years. With offices in Asia, Europe and the Americas, it not only provides a comprehensive suite to manage crypto assets – trading, investing and financing – but is also actively shaping the future of digital assets, and advancing the utility and adoption of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), the metaverse and web3 technologies.

Some are based on geography, but a lot of times also on the level of wealth, which corresponds to differences in the services that they need,” Ms Huang explains.

That’s where WhaleFin Club comes in. After members meet a certain threshold, they get to benefit from exclusive features, customised products and tailored assistance via the mobile app or web-based portal, as well as dedicated relationship managers and access to the trading desks. The kinds of investors Amber Group generally works with in this category are traditional family offices or asset holders who are new to the space. “And I think they benefit from WhaleFin Club, not just in terms of the products that are available to them, but actually, in a lot of ways, it is having access to us directly,” Ms Huang explains. “And we’ll be able to help them with extensive educational materials and white-glove services that you normally can’t get elsewhere.”

Crypto is, in several ways, just like traditional investing. “Investors still look at this, first and foremost, as a security and the rest of their principal, because at this point they want to preserve their wealth and then find ways to grow it.” But as this is a new type of asset, there may be questions about safety. But this is, again, where the bespoke assistance comes, working carefully with WhaleFin Club members. “We understand exactly what they need before we dive into a specific investment or product that works for them.”

They’re also able to capture some of the opportunities within the venture space in this industry that are generally not available to just standard users while building a strong relationship with their clients. “It’s very similar to maybe the private banking or investment banking type services in traditional finance, where there’s a dedicated relationship manager, with 24/7 availability, and access to more in-depth market research and insights to really build a relationship as opposed to offering standardised products to our overall user base.”

The commitment to exclusivity doesn’t end with its financial offerings. Amber Group recently held an event at a private box at Chelsea Football Club – it is an official partner of both Chelsea FC and Atlético de Madrid – for its members to get to know each other while watching a home game. “So, I think it’s beyond just the financial services that we provide to them, but also something else that they care about, like exclusive sports or lifestyle events.”

Another critical concern for Amber Group is sustainability – and this is a key area of focus for its WhaleFin Club members. As Ms Huang puts it, “there’s a growing awareness within this group towards sustainability. And oftentimes they want to be associated or investing in platforms that also care a lot about that. So whether it’s climate change, the environment or any other ESG-related topics, this is very top of mind.”

One way this is realised is via the products it offers, to do good while you earn, Ms Huang summarises. They also make it as straightforward as possible. “Within digital assets, there’s a lot more that we can play with, for example, access to carbon credits in tokenised fashion, as opposed to trading it on some esoteric exchanges or OTC if you can even find them.”

In its pursuit for sustainability, the company is focused on the protection of the ocean’s health. Partnering with the Whale and Dolphin Conservatory, a leading non-profit organisation, the company adopted Salt, a 46-year-old humpback whale, earlier this year. And Amber Group is extending these kinds of opportunities to its members too, with the plan to auction off naming rights for adopted whales.

This is an exciting time for the industry. What makes crypto like traditional investing is the fact that it also works in cycles. “Those who have been on the sidelines paying attention to the market during the last cycle are now allocating now that there is a market correction, when the price point becomes attractive again,” Ms Huang says. “They have accumulated enough of what we call a conviction.” Others who are just starting to get into the space are paying attention, but it may take them until the next cycle to invest.

Traditional banks, however, “don’t even know or recognise crypto as a source of funds or of wealth”, Ms Huang says. But Amber Group is looking towards its future, and how it can evolve along with it – while maintaining its customer-centric ethos. It’s hard to predict where the industry will be in ten years’ time, she comments, but “as these clients grow, then I think a lot of new demands or new needs will evolve. We’ll continue to innovate to cater to that and be at the forefront of the industry itself.”