Thomas Brunner

Crypto Exchange Bitpanda Eyes IPO or Sale Amid Rising Market Demand Bitpanda GmbH, the Vienna-based cryptocurrency and multi-asset platform backed by Peter Thiel’s Valar Ventures, is reportedly exploring an IPO on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange or a potential sale, advised by Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase. This strategic evaluation could value Bitpanda at over $4 billion, signaling growing investor interest in digital assets. With recent U.S. regulatory approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs and a possible pro-crypto shift in U.S. policy, the timing could be ideal for Bitpanda to go public. Founded in 2014, Bitpanda boasts over 4 million users and a current assets under management (AUM) exceeding €1 billion, offering a range of assets from cryptocurrencies to equities derivatives and commodities. Its growth trajectory positions it alongside platforms like eToro, Revolut, and Coinbase in Europe. Bitpanda reported a strong rebound with over €100 million in Q1 2024 revenue following a difficult 2022, which saw losses of €130 million. For 2023, Bitpanda achieved a pre-tax profit of €13.6 million, showcasing solid financial recovery. Features like real-time transfers for German clients via Deutsche Bank IBANs have further boosted the platform’s appeal. The potential IPO would mirror Coinbase’s NASDAQ debut and aligns with recent demand for retail digital asset access via new products like Bitcoin ETFs. Bitpanda’s valuation and user base would make it a prominent contender in a growing crypto market, poised to meet evolving retail and institutional demand. #Bitpanda #CryptoExchange #IPO #BitcoinETF #DigitalAssets #PeterThiel #ValarVentures #RetailInvesting #CryptoMarket #FrankfurtStockExchange #eToro #Coinbase #Revolut #ARKInvest

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What happens to the price of Bitcoin when the US Gov starts treating it like Swiss Bank Accounts? For those without an adult memory, for some 200 years Swiss bank accounts were untouchable, totally anonymous, not control by a central government and could be used for anything without the government knowing (sound familiar?). For decades everyone knew that these accounts were being used for criminal activity and tax evasion, but since they were untouchable and untraceable, it was believed that nobody could ever do anything about it (sound familiar?). And then one day in 2009 the IRS had enough and with the help of congress, effectively shut down every ‘untouchable’ Swiss bank account, issued $7.5B in fines, put a bunch of people in jail and collected tons of unpaid taxes. How was the US Gov able to crack down on a foreign nations banks? Easy: “play by our rules or be blacked-listed from the global banking system”. Will the US Gov do the same to Bitcoin? Virtually guaranteed as there is too much tax evasion and criminal activity to ignore it. The IRS is already moving that way with the addition of crypto disclosure on tax returns and requiring banks to report more transactions. When will this crackdown happen and what will it do to the price of Bitcoin? No idea. Make sure your clients understand this less than zero risk as right now all they hear is “Number Go Up!”

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🚨 Big News in Swiss Crypto Regulation: FINMA's New Guidelines on Stablecoins 🚨 FINMA has introduced significant regulatory changes that could reshape the Swiss crypto industry, especially impacting stablecoins. Here’s a rundown of what these changes mean for the sector: 🔍 Key Changes: • Mandatory Licensing: Stablecoin issuers must now obtain a banking license or secure a bank guarantee. This requirement raises the entry barrier for new projects and could hinder smaller start-ups from launching stablecoins. • Transparency Over Anonymity: New rules mandate the identification of every stablecoin holder, challenging the decentralized finance (DeFi) principle of anonymity. This shift aims to increase transparency but might also push the industry towards a more centralized model. 💡 Potential Impact: 1. Innovation Challenges: The new licensing requirements make it tough for start-ups to enter the market without substantial financial resources. This could lead to fewer innovative projects emerging from Switzerland. 2. Shift Towards Centralization: By enforcing identification and guarantees, these rules could move DeFi projects into a more regulated and centralized framework, affecting the industry's core decentralized nature. 3. Migration of Innovators: Stricter regulations might drive Swiss crypto innovators and start-ups to relocate to more crypto-friendly jurisdictions like Abu Dhabi, Dubai, or Singapore, which are rapidly becoming new hubs for digital assets companies. 🚀 Looking Ahead: Switzerland's regulatory environment is evolving. While these new rules aim to enhance security and transparency, they also raise questions about the future of innovation and decentralization in the Swiss crypto space. How will the industry adapt, and what will this mean for global crypto dynamics? At Legalaes, we're here to help you navigate these regulatory changes. Our team offers expert guidance to ensure your business stays compliant and successful in Switzerland's dynamic crypto landscape. 💚 📄 We’ve also prepared a detailed document for you to review the new regulations in depth. Feel free to check it out in the carousel below. #CryptoRegulations #FINMA #CryptoNews #Stablecoins #DeFi #Legalaes

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VEUR and VCHF on TradingView 🌟 Have you heard that VEUR and VCHF stablecoins are now available on TradingView? 🌟 🔗 TradingView serves as the primary terminal and a trusted source of information for crypto traders. You can now seamlessly access VNX Euro (VEUR) and VNX Swiss Franc (VCHF) markets on Bitstamp directly through TradingView. 💡 VEUR and VCHF are stablecoins generated by VNX, referencing the two most popular European fiat currencies. They provide stability and convenience for the trading needs. 🚀 Dive deeper into VEUR and VCHF on TradingView via Bitstamp integration! Visit https://lnkd.in/gMXQ6sn for more information.

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📢 Sygnum Bank's June House View: Tailwinds for the crypto market after a landmark week for US crypto policy   • Market participants are positioning for the next wave of demand to move the crypto market out of the current consolidation phase • Net inflows into Ethereum spot ETFs may be slow at first but build over time to cause demand shocks • Tailwinds for the crypto market after a landmark week for US crypto policy   Read about these topics in our June House View from the Sygnum Asset Management Team:   ➡️ Market spotlight ➡️ Market outlook ➡️ Sentiment analysis ➡️ Market performance ➡️ Chart of the month   Download the report here: https://lnkd.in/e4Zp9SQf   Katalin Tischhauser, Fabian Dori, Stefan Edelmann, Markus Hämmerli, Federico Pepe, Juan Carlos Largo Castellà, Olga Voldiner, Lionel Vaucher   #ethereum #crypto #bitcoin

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💥 The Swiss Crypto Valley recently suffered a significant blow after the Swiss regulator published its newest guidance on stablecoins – here is why: 🔍 What happened? According to the new guidance from FINMA, issuers of stablecoins in principle need a banking license and must KYC every stablecoin holder. These rules are super restrictive, even compared to EU countries, and there won't be a major Swiss stablecoin in the future. ✅ But protecting the integrity of the financial market is good… Yes, but this policy is overreaching: - Requiring a banking license doesn't make sense if assets are fully held. - To KYC every holder is discriminatory: this isn't required for cash or Bitcoin. 🇨🇭 What are the consequences for Switzerland? CHF-stablecoins will be issued abroad, out of the regulator's scope. Switzerland will lose monetary sovereignty. 🌐 What are the consequences for the crypto-industry? None directly, as there are plenty of alternatives available. However, if other countries follow suit, this will be catastrophic for DeFi, which by law will need to be centralized. The broader picture These rules are an overkill and need to be changed. Personally, I am missing the constitutional perspective in this discussion, such as the principle of proportionality (Art. 5 BV), or right to privacy (Art. 13 BV). Let me know in the comments your thoughts: is this guidance just, or a complete overkill?

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SwissBorg, a leading blockchain-based crypto wealth management platform now includes MANTRA’s $OM Token in their #RWA Thematic - an investment basket of top crypto projects in the real world assets vertical. With $1.39B in users' crypto assets and EU licensing, they're simplifying investments and driving adoption of emerging financial trends. Interested investors can explore further here: https://lnkd.in/dgRWWNK5 #OM being included in SwissBorg's RWA Thematic basket reflects the robustness and potential of MANTRA’s ecosystem. As regulatory frameworks evolve, MANTRA is well-positioned to bring finance on-chain by providing a secure and compliant platform for the #tokenization and trading of real world assets. Cyrus Fazel, CEO of SwissBorg, said, "𝐼𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑢𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 $𝑂𝑀 𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑅𝑊𝐴 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑢𝑖𝑙𝑑 𝑎 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑡𝑜𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑠 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑑𝑜𝑚. 𝑀𝐴𝑁𝑇𝑅𝐴’𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑐𝑢𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑅𝑊𝐴 𝐿1 𝐵𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑠 𝑖𝑡 𝑎 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑅𝑊𝐴 𝑡𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑧𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑖𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑦 𝑤𝑒 𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑅𝑊𝐴 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐.” 𝑀𝐴𝑁𝑇𝑅𝐴 - 𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝐼𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑠: 𝐵𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑂𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑖𝑛.

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Swiss Millennials Lead the Charge as Young Europeans Embrace Crypto A survey by Bitpanda and YouGov shows that young Europeans, particularly in Switzerland and Austria, are enthusiastically entering the crypto space. Despite market volatility, the pursuit of financial freedom and significant returns continues to make crypto attractive to the younger generation. While stocks remain the most popular asset class overall, cryptocurrencies have captured the imagination of the Swiss public, especially among younger generations. Millennials (28-43 y.o.) and Gen Z (18-27 y.o.) are driving the crypto trend in Switzerland, with 32% and 29%, respectively, having invested in digital currencies. #switzerland #millenial #swiss #crypto #money #younggeneration #market source : cryptonews

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Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB), Switzerland’s largest cantonal bank, has launched Bitcoin and Ethereum trading for retail customers and third-party banks through its app and eBanking platform. To support this new offering, ZKB partnered with Crypto Finance, a firm licensed by Switzerland’s FINMA and Germany’s BaFin. The bank has also developed its own crypto custody system, integrating Fireblocks for added security and efficiency. 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗧𝗔𝗜𝗟𝗦 👉 https://lnkd.in/ejvdaBmh Jan-Hendrik Völker-Albert Domenico Bonatesta Urs D. Baumann Kurt Kälin Richard Duchemin Ulviye Emirzade Jörg Müller-Ganz Christoph Schenk, CFA Martin M. Bardenhewer Alex Margison Bojana Stojković #crypto #bitcoin #ethereum #cryptocurrency #web3 #blockchain #trading

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The paper proposes a token-based financial system supported by unified ledgers. -with Bank for International Settlements – BIS https://lnkd.in/ezCxxpwg #fintech #tokenization #blockchain

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Now this is why #blockchain was invented! Onchain lending and borrowing, fast secure, no gatekeeper, no intermediary. I am pretty sure GenZ and GenAlpha will use these kind of tools to earn a few bucks or to borrow some with the capital they will be inheriting in the next decade. Let's read this post again in 5 years, very curious how it will age.

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Zodia Custody powers secure custody for ETC Group’s core Bitcoin ETP💥 Big news! ETC Group has announced the launch of its latest ETP on Deutsche Börse XETRA. We’re excited to solidify our partnership with ETC Group by providing secure custody for the ETC Group Core Bitcoin ETP (BTC1). BTC1 is a global regulated spot Bitcoin product, providing unparalleled primary market liquidity. It is tailored specifically for benchmark-conscious, long-term buy-and-hold investors, and global institutional investors with extended liquidity and risk management needs. Julian Sawyer, CEO of Zodia Custody said: “It’s breakthrough after breakthrough with our fellow innovators at ETC Group." "The newly launched BTC1 represents exactly what institutions have long sought as they have increased their adoption of digital assets, and we’re playing our part to ensure they can do so with the utmost security and compliance through bank-grade custody. Together, we continue to be at the very forefront of building a truly robust ecosystem for a mature digital asset industry.” Tim Bevan Chanchal Samadder, CFA #ZodiaCustody #ETCGroup #BTC1

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🇨🇭 Swiss Crypto Valley recently got hit with new stablecoin regulations—FINMA (Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority) now demands a banking license and KYC. These rules are tougher than the EU’s and will push CHF-stablecoins abroad, costing Switzerland its monetary sovereignty. Good news is that Bitcoin remains decentralized and censorship-resistant. No central authority controls it, offering a level of financial freedom that fiat-based systems can’t match. Study #Bitcoin 🧡 https://lnkd.in/d74y6Xnz

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FINMA has introduced new regulatory guidelines that significantly impact the issuance of stablecoins in Switzerland. Here’s a few details that I want to emphasize: 1. Banking License or Guarantee: Stablecoin issuers are now required to either obtain a banking license or secure a guarantee from the bank. This represents a huge barrier for many startups and innovators in the crypto space, potentially stopping new projects in early stages. 2. Mandatory Identification: All stablecoin holders must be identified, which goes against the core principles of decentralized finance (DeFi). This move towards centralization challenges the anonymity and decentralization that are foundational to the crypto industry. 3. Highlighted Risks: FINMA emphasizes the increased risks of money laundering and the potential reputational damage to the financial sector as reasons for these more strict actions. While the intention behind these regulations might be to protect the financial system and ensure transparency, the approach seems to be too restrictive. The crypto industry thrives on innovation and flexibility, and such heavy-handed regulations could drive entrepreneurs and innovators to more crypto-friendly regions like Abu Dhabi or Dubai, which are rapidly becoming new hubs for blockchain growth. Switzerland was perceived as a "crypto paradise," but with these new regulations, it risks becoming a regulatory nightmare. We must strive for balanced regulations that protect without stifling innovation. As a long term believer in crypto industry, I think it’s crucial to find a middle ground that safeguards the financial system while fostering innovation and growth. What are your thoughts on these new regulations? Let's discuss! 💬 #Crypto #FinTech #Blockchain #Regulation #Innovation #Switzerland #FINMA

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Hot from the press: The 2nd Swiss Digital Asset Custody Report by HomeofBlockchain.swiss is out! 🔥 🔐 Switzerland has a tradition of safekeeping financial assets. In recent years it has built a new infrastructure for #Crypto and #DigitalAssets. 🚀 The report highlights how Switzerland's ecosystem has been growing with state banks offering crypto services, specialized B2B service providers emerging, and even new wallet companies setting up shop. 🌍 Switzerland's service providers have been successfully expanding to Asia and the Middle East. The EU is next! Get the latest deep dive into Switzerland's digital asset ecosystem here: https://lnkd.in/eqd2xVMp #WhySwitzerland #finance #FutureOfFinance CMTA Asset Management Association Switzerland Zürcher Bankenverband ZBV Swiss Financial Innovation Desk Alexander E. Brunner Paola Valencia Pascal Ihle BBVA in Switzerland, Crypto Finance Group SCRYPT SDX Group Swissquote Swiss Business Hub USA Swiss Business Hub UK Presence Switzerland Switzerland Innovation finance.swiss Swissnex

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Hot from the press: The 2nd Swiss Digital Asset Custody Report by HomeofBlockchain.swiss is out! 🔥 🔐 Switzerland has a tradition of safekeeping financial assets. In recent years it has built a new infrastructure for #Crypto and #DigitalAssets. 🚀 The report highlights how Switzerland's ecosystem has been growing with state banks offering crypto services, specialized B2B service providers emerging, and even new wallet companies setting up shop. 🌍 Switzerland's service providers have been successfully expanding to Asia and the Middle East. The EU is next! Get the latest deep dive into Switzerland's digital asset ecosystem here: https://lnkd.in/eqd2xVMp #WhySwitzerland #finance #FutureOfFinance CMTA Asset Management Association Switzerland Zürcher Bankenverband ZBV Swiss Financial Innovation Desk BBVA in Switzerland Crypto Finance Group SCRYPT SDX Group Swissquote Swiss Business Hub USA Swiss Business Hub UK Presence Switzerland Switzerland Innovation finance.swiss Swissnex

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Swiss National Bank and SDX Delve Deeper Into CBDCs, Tokenized Securities The next two-year phase of Project Helvetia will see other financial institutions and types of transactions join the party. https://lnkd.in/dm5_HSqc #Blockchain #Crypto

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