TL;DR
Digital asset bank Sygnum has appointed Reto Marx as Singapore CEO and transitioned Gerald Goh to APAC Executive Chairman as it targets high-net-worth and family office expansion.
Global digital asset banking group Sygnum has appointed former VP Bank executive Reto Marx as its Singapore Chief Executive Officer. In a related move, co-founder Gerald Goh transitions to the role of APAC Executive Chairman, reflecting the firm's stated intention to deepen its engagement with high-net-worth clients, family offices, and institutional partners across the region.
Executive realignment and wealth management focus
Sygnum, which operates with a Major Payment Institution licence in Singapore and a banking licence in Switzerland, announced the leadership changes on 3 August 2026. According to the firm's statement, the appointments are designed to reinforce its commitment to Singapore as its Asia-Pacific hub. The leadership structure separates regional strategic initiatives from the direct management of the Singapore business.
Reto Marx joins the firm following his tenure at VP Bank Singapore, where he most recently served as Chief Executive Officer, Co-Head Singapore, and Chief Risk Officer for Asia. The firm highlighted his 25-year career in wealth management, which includes senior leadership roles spanning private banking, financial intermediaries, products, and risk management across Singapore and Hong Kong. Prior to VP Bank, his experience included positions at UBS, Credit Suisse, and Bank Sarasin. Sygnum noted that this combination of Swiss private banking heritage and Asian market knowledge aligns with its own identity.
In his statement accompanying the appointment, Marx characterised the market opportunity by noting that "Asian wealth is increasingly seeking trusted, regulated access to digital assets as part of a diversified portfolio." He added that Sygnum occupies a distinct position by combining a "Swiss banking platform with regulatory rigour and Singapore’s position as Asia’s wealth hub."
Capital markets and strategic initiatives
The appointment allows Sygnum co-founder Gerald Goh to step back from the Singapore CEO responsibilities to focus on a broader regional mandate as Executive Chairman of Sygnum APAC. In this new capacity, Goh will lead groupwide capital markets and fundraising efforts, oversee investor relations, and manage key stakeholder relationships.
Goh described the appointment as part of a continued effort to strengthen the senior leadership team in Singapore and Asia for the next phase of growth. He pointed specifically to Marx's background across Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia as positioning him to drive the firm's digital wealth strategy forward. Goh also emphasised that the appointment brings "significant expertise in the development of products & services as well as on risk management and regulatory topics," which he said would bolster the organisation's resilience as it scales.
What the announcement does not establish
While the appointment clearly signals Sygnum's intent to target the family office and institutional wealth segments with a traditional private banking veteran, the corporate announcement does not provide new operational metrics. The statements from Goh and Marx identify demand from Asian wealth and the firm's strategic focus, but they do not establish specific regional asset allocations, new product launches, or client inflows resulting from the leadership change.
Furthermore, the restructuring does not detail the current performance of the APAC division relative to the broader global group. The focus remains on strengthening the leadership bench and preparing for scale, rather than quantifying the firm's existing penetration of the family office sector in Singapore or wider Asia. Family office principals observing the digital asset sector can note the hire as an indicator of how digital asset firms are adapting their executive profiles to match traditional wealth management standards, but must separate corporate strategy from operational results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the new CEO of Sygnum Singapore?
Reto Marx, a 25-year wealth management veteran formerly with VP Bank and UBS, took over as CEO of Sygnum Singapore effective 1 August 2026.
What is Gerald Goh's new role?
Sygnum co-founder Gerald Goh has transitioned from APAC CEO to Executive Chairman of Sygnum APAC, focusing on groupwide capital markets, fundraising, and investor relations.
What does this mean for family offices?
The appointment signals a strategic effort to capture market share among family offices and high-net-worth individuals by blending crypto-native services with traditional private banking risk and relationship standards, though the announcement does not detail specific operational metrics.
