Digital assets are no longer a fringe financial experiment—they’re a cornerstone of modern institutional investment strategies. With Bitcoin surpassing $100,000 and global interest intensifying, regulated platforms like OSL are leading the charge in building secure, scalable, and compliant infrastructure for institutions. As the first licensed digital asset platform in Hong Kong and a member of the publicly traded OSL Group (863.HK), OSL has leveraged Amazon Web Services (AWS) to create a robust, globally interconnected ecosystem tailored for professional investors.
This case study explores how OSL transformed its digital asset operations through cloud innovation, enabling rapid expansion across Asia-Pacific and Europe while maintaining strict regulatory compliance and operational efficiency.
The Strategic Opportunity: Building a Regulated Global Platform
Institutional adoption of digital assets has shifted from speculation to strategic allocation. Firms now treat cryptocurrencies as long-term reserve assets, demanding platforms that offer security, transparency, and regulatory oversight.
OSL recognized this shift early. Founded in 2018 with a clear focus on compliance and institutional-grade services, the company provides brokerage, custody, trading, and SaaS solutions for digital assets. Unlike many crypto platforms, OSL operates under full regulatory licensing—including being the first virtual asset trading platform (VATP) licensed in Hong Kong since 2020—setting a benchmark for trust and accountability.
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But global ambitions require more than just regulatory approval. To scale effectively, OSL needed an infrastructure capable of:
- Supporting high-volume institutional trades with low latency
- Ensuring consistent security and compliance across jurisdictions
- Enabling seamless integration across newly acquired entities, such as Japan’s licensed exchange Coinbest and its European counterparts
These acquisitions weren’t just geographic expansions—they were strategic moves toward creating a unified, regulated global network where institutions can operate seamlessly across borders.
“The digital asset landscape has evolved beyond regional regulations into an irreversible global order,” says Cheng Yun, Chief Technology Officer at OSL. “Our vision is to build an interconnected, regulated ecosystem powered by AWS’s global infrastructure.”
This foundation allows OSL to deliver consistent performance and compliance whether serving clients in Tokyo, London, or Hong Kong.
The Technical Solution: Scalable Microservices on AWS
To meet growing demand and ensure agility, OSL built its platform using a microservices architecture hosted on Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (Amazon EKS). This approach enables modular development, independent scaling of services, and faster deployment cycles—critical for staying ahead in fast-moving markets.
Key components of OSL’s AWS-powered infrastructure include:
- Amazon EKS: Orchestrate containerized applications at scale without managing Kubernetes control planes.
- AWS Nitro Enclaves: Isolate sensitive data processing within EC2 instances to protect cryptographic keys and transaction data.
- AWS Key Management Service (KMS): Centrally manage encryption keys used to secure customer assets and communications.
- AWS Transfer Family: Enable secure, scalable file transfers for reporting, reconciliation, and partner integrations.
By adopting this architecture, OSL achieved significant improvements in both speed and reliability. Software deployment times dropped from 30 minutes to under 10, representing an 89% reduction in deployment latency. This efficiency allows developers to focus on innovation rather than infrastructure bottlenecks.
Moreover, the use of AWS’s globally distributed data centers ensures low-latency access across regions. Whether executing trades in Asia or settling transactions in Europe, institutional clients experience consistent performance backed by enterprise-grade uptime.
Measurable Outcomes: Efficiency, Security, and Global Reach
The impact of OSL’s AWS-powered transformation is tangible across multiple dimensions:
⚙️ Operational Efficiency
Platform management overhead has been reduced by 30%, thanks to automated monitoring, scaling, and maintenance workflows enabled by AWS tools.
🔐 Regulatory Compliance
As the first insured and SFC-licensed digital asset platform globally, OSL meets stringent regulatory standards across jurisdictions. AWS’s compliance certifications (including ISO 27001, SOC 1/2, and GDPR readiness) support OSL’s own auditability and transparency.
🌍 Global Expansion
With infrastructure now spanning APAC and Europe, OSL delivers unified trading experiences across markets. The acquisition of Coinbest strengthens its foothold in Japan—one of Asia’s most mature and regulated crypto markets—while European operations expand access to institutional capital.
⏱️ Performance Gains
Sub-10-minute deployment cycles allow rapid response to market changes, new product rollouts, and security updates—essential for maintaining competitive advantage.
Cheng Yun emphasizes:
“Our clients have confidence not just in digital assets—but in our platform. We’ve built an ecosystem where investing in digital assets feels as natural as traditional asset management, no matter where our clients operate.”
Core Keywords Driving Institutional Adoption
Through this transformation, several key themes emerge—each representing a critical factor in the broader trend of institutional crypto adoption:
- Digital asset platform
- Institutional cryptocurrency trading
- Regulated crypto exchange
- Secure digital asset custody
- Global blockchain infrastructure
- AWS cloud for fintech
- Microservices architecture
- Compliant crypto brokerage
These keywords reflect both user search intent and the evolving priorities of professional investors: security, regulation, scalability, and global interoperability.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What makes OSL different from other digital asset exchanges?
OSL stands out as the world’s first insured and Securities and Futures Commission (SFC)-licensed digital asset platform. It focuses exclusively on institutional and professional clients, offering regulated brokerage, custody, and trading services with full audit trails and compliance frameworks.
How does OSL ensure the security of digital assets?
Security is embedded at every layer. OSL uses cold storage for over 99% of assets, multi-signature wallets, biometric access controls, and leverages AWS Nitro Enclaves and KMS for server-side data protection. Regular third-party audits further validate its security posture.
Is OSL available outside Hong Kong?
Yes. While headquartered in Hong Kong, OSL serves institutional clients across the Asia-Pacific region and Europe. Its acquisition of Japan’s Coinbest extends its reach into one of Asia’s most regulated markets.
What role does AWS play in OSL’s operations?
AWS provides the scalable, secure, and globally distributed cloud infrastructure that powers OSL’s entire platform. From Kubernetes orchestration to key management and secure data transfer, AWS services enable high availability, low latency, and regulatory compliance.
Can fintech companies replicate OSL’s model using AWS?
Absolutely. AWS offers a comprehensive suite of tools for building compliant financial platforms. With proper architecture—like microservices on EKS, encrypted key management, and enclave-based isolation—fintech firms can develop secure, scalable solutions tailored for digital assets.
How does OSL handle cross-border regulatory requirements?
OSL adopts a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction licensing strategy and aligns with local regulators. Its technology stack is designed to support modular compliance—allowing different regions to enforce specific rules while maintaining a unified backend infrastructure on AWS.
The Future of Institutional Digital Assets
As digital assets become integral to global finance, platforms like OSL are proving that regulated innovation is not only possible—it’s scalable and sustainable. By combining deep regulatory expertise with cutting-edge cloud architecture, OSL has built a future-ready infrastructure that supports today’s demands and tomorrow’s opportunities.
With AWS as its technological backbone, OSL continues to expand its footprint—bridging markets, enhancing security, and delivering trusted services to institutions worldwide.
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The convergence of regulation, technology, and institutional trust is no longer a vision—it’s reality. And OSL is at the forefront.