Former Ethereum CTO and Parity Founder Gavin Wood joined us to discuss the early days of Ethereum, how Parity came about, their new blockchain framework Substrate and the case for on-chain governance.

- Keep your finger on the pulse of the latest #cryptocurrency and #blockchain developments with our free news aggrega… https://t.co/2XDW75dagO 2018-10-21
- Pay for your Crypto Valley membership by mining #monero or just do it as a donation. https://t.co/6L4n54Pbza… https://t.co/jqV8BnmJ0k 2018-10-22
- RT @NicoTschanz: Use cases and new business models of enterprise Blockchain. Kickoff of this exciting new #cryptovalley working group of @t… 2018-10-23
- CVA Members can get a 30% discount on tickets to the CVSummit on 7 Nov in Zug. https://t.co/xrRSiHkl6P https://t.co/BxbsiD6F9u 2018-10-23
- The Crypto Summit in Zurich next week promises some interesting conversations and presentations – CVA members can g… https://t.co/OfzQws8KuO 2018-10-23
- Hmmm…are #crypto businesses getting friendler with lawmakers?
@crypto @business Humbled Bitcoiners Want Lawmen to… https://t.co/UTQmFbRyEd 2018-10-23 - RT @wmougayar: How do we reach normality in the blockchain ecosystem?
The correction in the financial crypto markets must be succeeded by a… 2018-10-23 - Want to discuss cutting edge technologies with other #blockchain developers. Join our Coder events… https://t.co/GuaJQ5h0dk 2018-10-24
- Good news for the wider #crypto ecosystem – glad to see Asia staying strong! Japanese Financial Services Authority… https://t.co/2UWwK2vPew 2018-10-25
- Want to partner with the Crypto Valley Association. Join a growing number of organizations offering capabilities an… https://t.co/szX3vko27c 2018-10-25
- Pretty amazing! #crypto #blockchain @coindesk
MIT Professor's Blockchain Protocol Nets $62 Million in New Funding… https://t.co/qDoHNZUv6Z 2018-10-25 - The Crypto Summit in Zurich next week promises some interesting conversations and presentations – CVA members can g… https://t.co/b4ulX29Lt7 2018-10-25
- A big round of applause to @nicolasburer and the @dgt_switzerland team – #SwissDigitalDay is looking super cool!… https://t.co/ECNUGRbf8L 2018-10-25
- CVA Members can get a 30% discount on tickets to the CVSummit on 7 Nov in Zug. https://t.co/xrRSiHkl6P https://t.co/KT0W6d5qqO 2018-10-25
- Access a growing library of academic, economic and industry research applicable to the #blockchain ecosystem… https://t.co/Xjmz4eyEY8 2018-10-25
- Looking for staff for your #blockchain startup? Or want to advertise an open post? Association members can advertis… https://t.co/1SP61IttAe 2018-10-26
- Are diamonds forever? Just maybe… Join us on Tues, 6 Nov (Rathaus, Zug) for a super interesting First Tues Meetup… https://t.co/BO9MSn2LRd 2018-10-26
- Check out the Crypto Valley events calendar for this month. https://t.co/h1L5TymTLp https://t.co/beInCfxW6Z 2018-10-27
- SEBA's Guido Buehler shares his vision for a crypto bank #crypto #cryptofinance #cryptovalley… https://t.co/BwEOVyQa4o 2018-10-27
SEBA Crypto AG recently made waves by announcing its launch of a bid to become Switzerland’s first fully-regulated crypto bank – building a bridge between the fiat and crypto world.
Its CEO, Guido Buehler (formerly of UBS) shared his thoughts on the vision for SEBA and what it might mean for Crypto Valley in an interview originally published on Sionik.
Tell us briefly how the idea for SEBA came about…
Just like almost everything else in our world, money is going digital. When I pulled the SEBA team together in early February, I had in mind a new type of bank. A bank that bridges the gap between the old and the new economies and one that promotes the core values of Safety, Transparency and Performance. We are undergoing an economic transformation of epic proportions. Blockchain technology, the Internet of Things melding with the Internet of Money, the convergence of Cryptography, Computer Science and Economics – all of these technologies are enablers of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which I and many believe is upon us.
Blockchain, also referred to as Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), is about more than crypto currency or digital money. DLT is fundamental to securely storing physical assets in a digital format. By creating global, tamper-proof ledgers that authenticate ownership, assets such as securities, property deeds, artwork, jewelry and diamonds, personal identity documents and educational and other certificates of authenticity can be instantly validated, reducing the potential for theft and fraud. The proliferation of DLT is leading to the formation of new markets and innovative ways of creating value. This convergence of the digital and tangible worlds creates a significant need for a new type of banking paradigm. That’s why at SEBA, we are committed to redefining finance for the new economy.
If you could condense into one sentence – what is the mission of SEBA?
To be one of the world’s first universal, fully licensed and supervised crypto banks that will bridge the divide between traditional fiat and the new world of crypto.
You are aiming to obtain the highest level of banking license and yet many (most) refer to SEBA as a “crypto bank” – how do you reconcile these two aspects?
It is important to understand that FINMA doesn’t have a type of license that is specific to crypto banks. We are in contact with FINMA to apply for a Banking and Securities Dealer license. What this means is that we will be able to offer crypto AND fiat – transaction banking and all other services – all from one financial services partner.
Our ambition is to help our clients achieve exceptional performance in terms of wealth management and growth, within a supervised and regulated framework. In today’s newly forming economy, we must be able to offer these services across both crypto and fiat, because crypto is rapidly emerging as a desirable asset class. We would not be able to deliver on our promise without the highest level of banking license attainable.
Does Switzerland and the blockchain world really need a “crypto bank?”
We believe the world does need a crypto bank because today, there is no gateway for major financial investors that facilitates movement of assets between the crypto and traditional financial markets. The crypto market’s global and unregulated nature means that significant groups within the traditional markets, such as institutional investors, asset and wealth managers, and family offices exclude themselves because the crypto markets are perceived to be too risky and speculative. The existing KYC, AML and other applicable laws and regulations may flexibly be adopted to crypto markets, but the majority of large institutional investors, who have a moderate risk tolerance, exclude themselves because of the lack of regulated and supervised market participants.
It is our vision that SEBA’s supervised and regulated services will encourage wider participation and form a bridge between crypto and traditional financial markets.
A majority of your team (yourself included) come from UBS – is this a value add or a downside for your development and eventual work with the core crypto community?
It’s good for a headline but it doesn’t accurately reflect the diverse nature of our team. While some on our team have worked at UBS, Citi, Credit Suisse, Vontobel, etc, we also have security and technology experts from outside the banking world. And of course, we have deep expertise in the emerging crypto economy. We wouldn’t be able to deliver on our promise if we weren’t diversified outside the banking sphere.
The salient point to note is that everyone on the team has a track record for innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit, no matter what their background. We believe it is this combination of skill that is required to redefine finance for the new economy.
Much has been made of the trouble startups have in getting bank accounts in Switzerland. Is part of your mission to fix this? What does SEBA aim to offer blockchain/crypto startups?
Recent SBA indications are that blockchain businesses should be treated the same as other businesses. It is our ambition that to offer custody storage, transaction banking, trading and liquidity management, and crypto corporate finance services to crypto/blockchain companies funded in crypto currency.
Let’s imagine for a moment that SEBA fails to obtain a banking license – will the project have been in vain? Is the value of attempting this as big as actually achieving it?
The world is changing, and I believe that all financial institutions know that crypto assets will eventually become part of investment portfolios, and a new manner of storing and creating wealth. We intend to obtain one of the first truly universal crypto banking licenses so we can deliver an incredibly important infrastructural piece of the crypto economy. Our efforts will not be in vain!
Can you tell us where the name “SEBA” came from?
We chose the name SEBA because it transcends geography and languages, it is feminine and masculine, to us it represents the ying and the yang. It speaks clearly to our ethos to kill the duality between crypto and fiat.
From your current position, what advice would you give to incumbent banks (i.e. UBS, Credit Suisse etc)?
I’ve no need to advise any banks, they have their own intentions and plans with regard to the digital economy. Our ambition is to serve the wider banking economy, serving crypto companies, institutional investors, professional investors and even banks if they decide they need a gateway into the crypto world.
What are your impressions of the Crypto Valley ecosystem? Where do you think it is headed in the next 9-12 months?
SEBA is honoured to be part of the Crypto Valley ecosystem. We may be perceived as old bankers, but this is the true meaning of the merging of the traditional and the new economies. Old meets New! We are financiers, bankers, traders and security experts with a team of blockchain experts and world-class technology partners who are building a bridge between the traditional and new financial economies. The Crypto Valley ecosystem can only benefit from such a bridge.
We’re joined by Monica Quaintance, Head of Engineering and Adoption at Kadena. The company is building a scalable platform and simplified smart contract language designed for business.
- Want to discuss cutting edge technologies with other #blockchain developers. Join our Coder events… https://t.co/qRncbwuZPC 2018-10-14
- Keep your finger on the pulse of the latest #cryptocurrency and #blockchain developments with our free news aggrega… https://t.co/sGMqlR8CuQ 2018-10-14
- Want to present your #blockchain project/startup/research to a group of like-minded individuals? Association membe… https://t.co/1ZUaX7GzMS 2018-10-14
- A worthy target! @TezosFoundation @tezos
Tezos Expect To Have 1000 Trained Tezos-focused Programmers By 2019… https://t.co/Oa4YPUVjLK 2018-10-14 - Want to partner with the Crypto Valley Association. Join a growing number of organizations offering capabilities an… https://t.co/xVjSIrP6Ty 2018-10-15
- Vitalik Buterin: I Quite Regret Adopting the Term ‘Smart Contracts’ for Ethereum @ethereum https://t.co/fx4yTESEh9 https://t.co/83RC4Jhj9i 2018-10-15
- Forbes Enters Blockchain Game, Partners With Civil
@coindesk https://t.co/ghdUHMoyo1 https://t.co/RUii79BxbY 2018-10-15 - Crypto Valley Association members can benefit from a 20% discount on tickets to the upcoming Crypto Summit in Zuric… https://t.co/UNEaD4kRzV 2018-10-15
- A great initiative! –> #Web3Summit will be a convening of developers, researchers, cryptoanarchists, privacy enthu… https://t.co/EBtSiHPg7a 2018-10-16
- RT @obussmann: Swiss stock exchange takes stake in digital asset startup PassOn https://t.co/Er5hjXtKG8 2018-10-16
- RT @ian_simpson80: The story of #blockchain, @ethereum and a patio in Zug – in @NewYorker
The Prophets of Cryptocurrency Survey the Boom a… 2018-10-16 - @SFS_CH Looking good! #swissinnovation in reply to SFS_CH 2018-10-16
- Crypto Valley Association members can benefit from a 20% discount on tickets to the upcoming Crypto Summit in Zuric… https://t.co/M8z2bat5d3 2018-10-16
- Ready to do some hacking? Try your hand at building on @NEO_Blockchain at the Zurich Hackathon (3-4 Nov 2019) organ… https://t.co/jSATpKQS8h 2018-10-16
- Oh yes! #cryptovalley @businessinsider @swissinfo_en @BadertscherMarc
Europe is killing it in crypto… https://t.co/26wFjsgOpH 2018-10-16 - Do you agree with the consensus on the USD price of Bitcoin (BTC) at 12:00pm CET on December 31st 2018?… https://t.co/32XxC1VsUs 2018-10-17
- Crypto Valley Association members can benefit from a 20% discount on tickets to the upcoming Crypto Summit in Zuric… https://t.co/NWhdvvGiXK 2018-10-17
- Congratulations! Keep up the good work! ???? https://t.co/vagtdo7ZOU 2018-10-18
- Looking for staff for your #blockchain startup? Or want to advertise an open post? Association members can advertis… https://t.co/ve3CofjmPB 2018-10-19
- Are you a #blockchain or #crypto investor interested in high quality #startups deal flow from the Crypto Valley? A… https://t.co/zF2KaEqals 2018-10-19
- Looking for funding for your #blockchain startup? Or looking to invest in #blockchain startups? Access a growing in… https://t.co/9VaqfjDVZs 2018-10-20
- RT @web3foundation: #Web3Summit is the United Nations of crypto.
The founders of all the major crypto nation states are gathering at #Web… 2018-10-20
- RT @juanbenet: Stoked for #Web3Summit ! Amazing group & forming discussions — reminds me of early blockchain gatherings. Excited for the fu… 2018-10-20
- Enjoy a Sat afternoon coffee in Zurich – and pick up some #bitcoin here at Seven Friday cafe while you’re at it! (M… https://t.co/emuo6t1Api 2018-10-20
We’re joined by Kevin Owocki, the Founder of Gitcoin, an Ethereum-based marketplace that leverages the open source community to incentivize and monetize development work.
In this year’s early summer days, the Swiss Federal Tax Authorities (SFTA) has responded for the first time – after lengthy internal consultations – with a draft practice circular to the pressing issue of the treatment of crypto businesses and transactions such as ICOs and TGEs for Swiss value-added tax (VAT) purposes. Although it has been a first move into the right direction, the draft practice circular leaves a fair amount of questions and uncertainties which will remain until the final text has been confirmed by the SFTA. Hence, an impressive amount of comments has been submitted to the attention of the SFTA (incl. several members of the Crypto Valley Association Working Group Tax / Accounting / Structuring [CVA WG TAS]) to ensure the viewpoints of the crypto community are properly understood.
Nevertheless, business must go on and start-ups need to deal with such VAT uncertainties in an appropriate manner. Given the fact that unknowingness does not protect you from sanctions, it becomes necessary to smartly document the internal VAT and risk assessment of such VAT uncertainties.
A plausible option could be to supplement your accounts with a write-up of your internal considerations and reflections whether you see a VAT liability accruing or not from your business activities. Such documents and policy help proving a best-efforts approach once the final text of the VAT practice will be enforced. By not proactively acting upon these VAT uncertainties, there is a certain risk that the SFTA might interpret such behavior as being ignorant to the rule of law and could subject you to adverse VAT effects.
The Crypto Valley Association Working Group Tax / Accounting / Structuring and its members are available in case you look for professional support:
- Markus Vogel, Chair CVA WG TAS, KPMG, markusvogel@kpmg.com
- Monika Molnar, Member CVA WG TAS and responsible for VAT, MME, monika.molnar@mme.ch
- Séverin Knüsel, Member CVA WG TAS, Mutara Treuhand, knuesel@mutara.ch
- Keep your finger on the pulse of the latest #cryptocurrency and #blockchain developments with our free news aggrega… https://t.co/RnVBKncPX3 2018-10-07
- See you in Singapore?! We're taking #cryptovalley to the Singapore FinTech Festival (12-14 Nov) – and CVA members c… https://t.co/MV00vlTSfD 2018-10-07
- There's something exciting coming up in Berlin – our friends at @web3foundation are holding the Web3 Summit. Join n… https://t.co/atcab8zbDo 2018-10-08
- Pay for your Crypto Valley membership by mining #monero or just do it as a donation. https://t.co/6L4n54Pbza… https://t.co/8vyiEVkciM 2018-10-08
- Are you a #blockchain or #crypto investor interested in high quality #startups deal flow from the Crypto Valley? A… https://t.co/yJ1PaFuNTU 2018-10-09
- Looking for funding for your #blockchain startup? Or looking to invest in #blockchain startups? Access a growing in… https://t.co/5bj9rWehmN 2018-10-10
- RT @wmougayar: The #1 startup survival rule is to never run out of money. For ICO issuers, that challenge is largely gone. What replaces it… 2018-10-10
- All major new blockchain ecosystems will be present for the first time in one place at #Web3Summit. Come see what s… https://t.co/J3GvmkjHjA 2018-10-11
- RT @CoinRivet: NEWS: New listicle showcases @thecryptovalley as a major blockchain player
- Looking for staff for your #blockchain startup? Or want to advertise an open post? Association members can advertis… https://t.co/gvzYzypak6 2018-10-12
We are joined by Jake Brukhman, CEO, and Alexander Bulkin, Chief Alchemist, to discuss the latest thoughts on investing in the cryptocurrency space.