Swiss Crypto Groups Drop 12-Point Manifesto—Bankers Brace for Impact
Switzerland’s crypto associations just unleashed a 12-point regulatory wishlist—part roadmap, part power play. The Alpine crypto hub’s key players are done waiting for permission.
Self-regulation takes center stage: The proposals push for industry-defined standards before bureaucrats can say ’AML compliance.’ One clause even nods to DeFi protocols—rare foresight for a government-facing doc.
Tax tweaks target institutional adoption: The plan demands clarity on staking rewards and tokenized assets. Because nothing screams ’serious investor’ like a 200-page VAT guidance doc.
Watch the banks squirm: Item #7 quietly proposes equal access to financial infrastructure. Guess who’s been gatekeeping those Swiss IBANs?
This isn’t lobbying—it’s a coordinated strike on financial legacy systems. And with the Swiss National Bank already testing wholesale CBDCs, the old guard’s moat keeps shrinking. Bonus cynicism: At least crypto’s regulatory wishlists don’t require taxpayer bailouts when they fail.
Is Switzerland falling behind?
In recent years, Switzerland has established itself as a leading location for blockchain technologies – thanks to advanced regulatory frameworks, an innovation-friendly approach by authorities, and close cooperation between politics and industry.
But this lead is at risk: countries in Asia and the Middle East are rapidly catching up and increasingly offering attractive conditions for blockchain companies; the sharp policy reversal of the Trump administration serves as a wake-up call. At the same time, lengthy processes, regulatory uncertainties, and new international requirements are perceived as obstacles in Switzerland. This has been repeatedly highlighted by CVJ.CH in its reporting.
To counter this trend and future-proof Switzerland as a location, a joint and coordinated approach is necessary. The 12-point program of the manifesto aims to address this precisely and offer concrete measures to promote innovation and competitiveness while reducing regulatory barriers.
The 12-point program
The manifesto outlines twelve concrete areas of action to serve as a foundation for a strong and forward-looking blockchain industry in Switzerland:
The Swiss Blockchain Federation, the Crypto Valley Association, and the Bitcoin Association Switzerland initiated this manifesto with the goal of positioning Switzerland as a leading blockchain location in the long term, the press release states. The implementation of the goals will be reviewed regularly and adjusted as needed, with the aim of realizing concrete measures. Interested organizations are warmly invited to join the initiative and actively contribute to strengthening Switzerland as a blockchain hub.
