The Switzerland-based Capital Markets and Technology Association (CMTA) has published new anti-money-laundering (AML) standards for digital assets and distributed ledger technologies (DLT) Oct. 18. CMTA is a non-profit, independent association established in Geneva earlier this year with the aim of promoting the adoption of DLT, such as blockchain, and digital assets in the financial markets. Its creation was a joint initiative from online bank Swissquote, market software provider Temenos, and the country’s largest law firm Lenz & Staehelin. According to CMTA, the newly-published standards are designed to “clarify [...] measures to be taken in order to comply with the Swiss …

Swiss online financial services provider Swissquote announced it had become “the first bank worldwide” to offer purchase and custodial services of (Initial Coin Offering) ICO tokens for clients in a press release Monday, Oct. 22. Swissquote, which has offered various cryptocurrency-related services to account holders since 2016, began its latest service by allowing them to purchase ICO tokens from industrial diamond manufacturer LakeDiamond. Explaining the move, the bank said it was now no longer necessary for ICO consumers to “understand blockchain.” “Combining crowdfunding with the blockchain creates a new form of fundraising,” CEO Mark Buerki commented. The service will work …

Switzerland-based commodities assets manager Tiberius Group AG has delayed the sale of its metals-backed cryptocurrency, Tiberius Coin, due to high fees from credit card companies, Bloomberg reported Oct. 9. The company announced its intention to issue a digital currency tied to the price of metals — copper, aluminum, nickel, cobalt, tin, gold and platinum — in late September. Tiberius Group then explained that “instead of underlying the digital currency with only one commodity, we have chosen a mix of technology metals, stability metals and electric vehicle metals. This will give the coin diversification, making it more stable and attractive for …

The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) has issued the country’s first cryptocurrency asset management license to a crypto investment fund, Swiss-centered media outlet Swissinfo reports today, Oct. 9. The recipient is Crypto Fund, a subsidiary founded in 2017 by Zug-based Crypto Finance AG. The fund has reportedly until now only been able to distribute offshore-based cryptocurrency funds under FINMA rules. The new license, however, will permit the firm to legally offer a wide spectrum of collective investment products that track Bitcoin (BTC) and other crypto assets, including domestic funds. The license also allows the firm to provide investment consultancy …

Swiss luxury watch brand Hublot has unveiled its new watch Big Bang Blockchain in an official announcement September 19. The new model has been released to commemorate the upcoming 10th anniversary of Bitcoin (BTC). As per Hublot’s release, the 210-piece limited edition can only be purchased with BTC. The number of units symbolises the fact that the number of bitcoins will never exceed 21 million. To promote and sell the model, Hublot has partnered with Octagon Strategy Limited (OSL) – a major Asian digital asset brokerage which will help process customer data during the pre-sale. To purchase a Big Bang …

Switzerland-based asset management company Tiberius Group AG is going to introduce a cryptocurrency backed by metals, Bloomberg reported September 27. Founded in 2005 as a commodities asset management firm, Tiberius Group manages around $350 million in assets. The company will issue a blockchain-powered Tiberius Coin, the value of which will be tied to the price of copper, aluminum, nickel, cobalt, tin, gold and platinum. Giuseppe Rapallo, CEO at Tiberius Technology Ventures AG, which will lead the product, told Bloomberg: “Instead of underlying the digital currency with only one commodity, we have chosen a mix of technology metals, stability metals and …

Switzerland-based startup SEBA Crypto AG has raised 100 million Swiss francs ($103 million) to set up a bank offering cryptocurrency-related services, Reuters reported September 26. SEBA is reportedly headed by former UBS bankers — Guido Buehler as chief executive and Andreas Amschwand as chairman — and plans to apply for a banking and securities dealer license from Swiss financial market regulator FINMA. A license would allow the firm to conduct crypto trading and investments business for other banks and qualified investors. Buehler told Reuters that SEBA aims to become a bridge between traditional banking and the cryptocurrency industry. The startup …

Coming every Sunday, the Hodler’s Digest will help you to track every single important news story that happened this week. The best (and worst) quotes, adoption and regulation highlights, leading coins, predictions, and much more — a week on Cointelegraph in one link. Top Stories This Week Japanese Cryptocurrency Exchange Zaif Hacked Of Reported 5,966 Bitcoins As a result of a security breach on September 14, hackers have managed to steal 4.5 billion yen from Japan’s Zaif cryptocurrency exchange, as well as 2.2 billion yen from the assets of the company, with total losses amounting to 6.7 billion yen or …

The Swiss Bankers Association (SBA) has issued basic guidelines for banks working with blockchain startups on Friday, September 21. As Reuters reports, the measure was taken to prevent a mass crypto exodus out of Switzerland. The document states that banks see blockchain as an opportunity for Switzerland to house financial and technology startups despite "risks," especially money laundering. Due to a significant increase of crypto-related companies based in the country, the SBA has decided to provide a road map for banks to open their corporate accounts. The guidelines divides blockchain companies into two large groups: those with and those without …

Switzerland-based consortium Crypto Valley Venture Capital (CV VC) has launched a blockchain incubator with a $100 million goal, swissinfo.ch reported September 20. CV VC has reportedly launched its initial incubator dubbed “Genesis Hub” in the canton of Zug, also known as Switzerland’s Crypto Valley. The Crypto Valley Association was founded as a government-backed consortium in March 2017, with the aim of “supporting the development of blockchain and cryptographic related technologies and businesses.” Currently, the incubator includes 20 blockchain startups, though it plans to eventually fund 60 new companies per year. As part of the initiative, approved startups will complete CV …

A group of major global banks, trading firms, and a leading energy company have launched a joint venture that will oversee a new blockchain-based platform for financing the trading of commodities, Reuters reports September 19. The Swiss-based venture, dubbed komgo SA, has been established by a host of international financing, trading, and production institutions that include ABN AMRO, BNP Paribas, Citi, Credit Agricole Group, Gunvor, ING, Koch Supply & Trading, Macquarie, Mercuria, MUFG Bank, Natixis, Rabobank, Shell, SGS, and Societe Generale. The venture will digitalize trade and commodities finance processes through a blockchain-based open platform, and has been developed in …

Switzerland and Israel have agreed to share their experience on regulating the blockchain industry, Reuters reports Monday, September 17, citing both countries’ high-ranking officials. Switzerland’s Minister of Finance Ueli Maurer and State Secretary for International Financial Matters Joerg Gasser have recently visited Israel to officially request access to the local markets for Swiss banks. As Gasser told Reuters, by the end of 2018 he plans to prepare a report on blockchain regulation for the Israeli officials that would outline general recommendations. He expects that these notes might be approved by the Israeli parliament in 2019 and go into effect by …