Token Economy: Opportunities for Switzerland

Original Video in German Language: The token economy is developing rapidly in Switzerland and Europe, opening up new opportunities for digital assets. In an interview with Matthias Müller (CCO of BX Digital AG), Darko Stefanoski (Partner, Law Leader in Financial Services at EY Switzerland) provides insights into the current developments and challenges in this sector. A key topic will be the new European crypto regulation ‘MiCAR’, which aims to provide more clarity for market participants. For Swiss companies, the question is to what extent they are affected by these regulations and how they can optimise their cross-border business.

The focus of tokenisation is currently on illiquid assets such as real estate, artworks or private equity to improve market liquidity and investor accessibility. In the future, stablecoins and Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) could revolutionise payment in token transactions by enabling direct and fully digital transactions.

Stefanowski emphasises the importance of education and awareness to build trust in digital assets. At the same time, there are challenges in the areas of regulation and cybersecurity, as the underlying technology is open and therefore vulnerable to attack.

With clear and harmonised regulations, Europe could secure its competitiveness globally, even if other regions such as the United Arab Emirates or Hong Kong are catching up quickly. However, thanks to its expertise and a solid legal foundation, Switzerland is well positioned to play a leading role in the global token economy.