What can Switzerland expect to gain by attracting crypto firms?
Switzerland is making a name for itself as a self-styled “Crypto Nation” by laying out the red carpet for cryprocurrency companies and other blockchain outfits.
The Swiss authorities believe this nascent sector can attract tax revenues, jobs and international kudos as an emerging and potentially revolutionary technology.
But crypto also comes with controversy – a boom and bust industry sprinkled with fraud and business failure.
Do you think Switzerland should be competing with the likes of Dubai to attract this type of business?
Switzerland has probably the strictest immigration system in western Europe, even for EU citizens.
Getting a passport is a pain.
Good luck competing with more open countries like the US, UAE, or the EU.
Remember that Karma is a bitch...one day all you xenophobic people will get a taste of your medicine.
Congratulations to put this debate to be discussed. Cryptocurrency is on world economic since 2008/2009, when Bitcoin was created. Blockchain is the future of the finance system, allowing people to send money abroad fast, free and without pollution (read about Nano, USDC…), of course any industry have the bad actors that need to be hunted. Switzerland is the Cryptocurrency country, if a lot of companies like CryptoPlatz in Fribourg. Soon, every people on the world will use cryptocurrency.
Why Switzerland should expect to gain anything from an Unregulated Ponzi Scheme Crypto Market which is deemed to fail. I am surprised that the Swiss authorities have not yet put an end to this Crypto nonsense.
Switzerland is great at banking and banking customers.
However Switzerland has a huge weakness in IT skills and experience and they usually outsource these to foreign companies or foreigner workers living locally.
I work in IT and also in Banking, so please ... not a good thing to increase Crypto-banking when the local swiss has little to no idea what IT is.
Put an end to this crypto hokus-pokus.
Interesting point TEXUSTERMER. There is a thesis that Switzerland wants to develope a decentralised finance sector to make up for the lost revenues from the decline of banking secrecy.
That's all well and good provided this does not kick up yet another money laundering scandal. I think the Swiss authorities are desperate to include only "clean" crypto.
But you don't need bitcoin to build DLT financial infrastructure. The Swiss stock exchange, central bank and some commercial banks are also attempting to rip out some blockchain plumbing and plug it into their own businesses to increase efficiency.
Centralising DLT in this way risks leaving some of its innovational qualities behind. I predict quite a scrap between pure decentral players and financial incumbents in the coming years.
The question is whether Switzerland can build a place to trade crypto transparently or hide ill-gotten gains stolen from the powerless in some 3rd (or 1st) world country.
Great episode of Let’s Talk. Outstanding moderation and very knowledgeable guests both in the studio and remote. Sandra Rose is bullish on Switzerland and so am I.
Switzerland should definitely continue to compete with the likes of Dubai and I’m sure its trustworthiness and political stability will attract more companies and talent from around the world and from within Switzerland.
No, we will lose to Dubai. Switzerland infrastructure and online involvement by government and companies is so 2005-2008 compare to progressive countries. For people who live online this is not the best choice, plus that companies will have to hire from abroad a lot and this is another problem as getting residence permit is costly and uncertain road till the very end.
Thanks for kicking off this debate LOL. Restrictions on importing foreign talent is an issue that affects many industries in Switzerland. Digital companies should be able to operate with a remote workforce distributed around the world, but creating an industry "hub" really needs a critical mass of learned people in one place.
The slow pace of cutting edge digital adoption by government & public services is not a great look for a country that wants to attract revolutionary digital industries.
Switzerland scores high marks for stable, competent administration and financial services infrastructure, but is behind the ball on digital agility.
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