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Key Points

• Sygnum Bank supports allowing banks to issue stablecoins under their existing banking licenses.
• The Swiss Bankers Association argues that additional licensing requirements could weaken competitiveness.
• Proposed amendments under Switzerland’s Financial Institutions Act aim to create clearer, internationally aligned stablecoin rules.
• Regulators are considering strict safeguards, including collateral backed by central bank deposits at the Swiss National Bank.
• The debate reflects a broader global race between private stablecoins, bank-issued digital money, and central bank digital currencies.

A Turning Point for Stablecoin Regulation

Stablecoins have rapidly evolved from niche crypto instruments into a strategic pillar of modern financial infrastructure. As global regulators race to define their legal frameworks, Switzerland is positioning itself as a potential leader by considering reforms that would allow licensed banks to issue stablecoins without obtaining additional payment-institution approvals. This policy direction has gained strong support from Sygnum Bank, one of the world’s earliest regulated digital asset banks, which believes the move could significantly strengthen regulatory clarity while preserving the country’s competitive financial edge.

The proposal, backed by the Swiss Bankers Association, suggests that requiring banks to secure separate licenses to issue stablecoins creates unnecessary regulatory duplication. Traditional banks already operate under strict capital, liquidity, and compliance rules, making additional licensing requirements redundant in the eyes of industry advocates. By removing these barriers, Switzerland could accelerate innovation in tokenized payments, cross-border settlements, and blockchain-based financial services while ensuring oversight remains robust.

Building Legal Certainty in a Rapidly Changing Market

Financial innovation often moves faster than regulation, creating uncertainty for both institutions and consumers. Supporters of the reform argue that integrating stablecoin issuance into existing banking frameworks would simplify compliance and provide clear guidance for financial institutions seeking to expand into digital assets. Such clarity is particularly important as stablecoins increasingly function as transactional currencies in global digital markets.

Industry leaders stress that aligning national rules with international standards will be essential to maintaining Switzerland’s role as a global financial hub. Several jurisdictions, including the European Union, have already implemented regulatory frameworks that allow banks to participate in stablecoin issuance under defined supervisory structures. Without comparable reforms, Swiss banks could face competitive disadvantages in the rapidly expanding digital payments ecosystem.

Safeguards and Risk Management Remain Central

Despite strong industry backing, policymakers are approaching the reform cautiously. Financial authorities are exploring risk-mitigation measures designed to ensure that stablecoins issued by banks remain safe, transparent, and fully backed. Among the most significant proposals is a requirement that collateral reserves supporting bank-issued stablecoins be held directly in sight deposits at the Swiss National Bank. This approach would ensure that the digital tokens are backed by central bank money rather than riskier assets, enhancing confidence in their stability.

Another regulatory consideration involves limiting how customer funds associated with stablecoin issuance can be used. By preventing banks from placing those funds with non-bank payment institutions, regulators aim to reduce systemic risk and prevent the possibility of liquidity disruptions during periods of market stress. These safeguards reflect a broader regulatory philosophy: enabling innovation while maintaining the strong financial stability standards that Switzerland’s banking system is known for.

The Global Context: A Digital Currency Competition

Switzerland’s regulatory debate is unfolding amid an intensifying global competition over the future of digital money. Governments, central banks, fintech firms, and commercial banks are all exploring different models for digital currency issuance. In Europe, policymakers continue to advance the concept of a digital euro led by the European Central Bank, while private-sector institutions push for bank-issued tokenized deposits and stablecoins that can operate across blockchain networks.

The United States has also been engaged in ongoing legislative discussions around stablecoin frameworks, reflecting broader tensions between traditional financial institutions and crypto-native companies. At the same time, private blockchain firms, including companies associated with global payment innovation such as Ripple Labs, continue advocating regulatory clarity that allows both banks and fintech platforms to participate in digital asset issuance.

In this global  digital money race,  regulatory design could determine which jurisdictions become hubs for next-generation financial infrastructure. Countries that create balanced frameworks—encouraging innovation while maintaining strict safeguards—may attract institutional investment, fintech development, and international financial activity.

Why Switzerland’s Approach Could Shape the Future

If Switzerland adopts the proposed amendments, it could set an influential precedent for other financial centers considering similar reforms. Allowing banks to issue stablecoins directly under existing licenses would signal confidence in the traditional banking sector’s ability to manage digital asset risks while accelerating integration between blockchain systems and conventional finance.

Such a move could also encourage banks to develop new services, including tokenized deposits, programmable payments, and cross-border settlement systems operating around the clock. Over time, these innovations may blur the boundaries between traditional money and digital assets, creating a hybrid financial system where regulated banks play a central role in the issuance of blockchain-based currencies.

Ultimately, the Swiss debate illustrates a broader transformation underway in global finance: the shift from experimental digital currencies to regulated, institutionally backed digital money ecosystems. Whether stablecoins become a dominant payment mechanism or coexist alongside central bank digital currencies, the regulatory decisions being made today will likely shape the structure of tomorrow’s financial system.

FAQ

What does the proposed Swiss reform change?
The proposal would allow licensed Swiss banks to issue stablecoins using their existing banking licenses, eliminating the need for additional payment-institution approvals.

Why do banks support issuing stablecoins directly?
Banks argue that they already operate under strict regulatory supervision, making extra licensing unnecessary and potentially harmful to competitiveness.

How would customer funds be protected?
Regulators are considering requirements that stablecoin reserves be held in central bank deposits and subject to strict custody and transparency rules.

How does this compare with global trends?
Many jurisdictions are developing frameworks that allow regulated financial institutions to issue digital money, while central banks simultaneously explore CBDCs.

Could bank-issued stablecoins replace traditional deposits?
In the near term, they are more likely to complement existing banking services by enabling faster payments, tokenized transactions, and blockchain-based settlement systems.

Key Points

• Russia is building a national framework to tokenize real-world assets (RWAs) and integrate blockchain into its financial system.
• The first stage will focus on ownership rights, intellectual property, and assets not requiring state registration.
• Tokenization aims to improve liquidity, reduce transaction costs, and open new investment opportunities for retail investors.
• The initiative is part of a broader strategy to modernize capital markets and strengthen domestic financial independence.

A Structural Shift Toward Tokenized Economies

The global financial system is gradually transitioning toward digital infrastructure, and Russia has decided to accelerate this transformation by formally introducing a framework that enables the tokenization of real-world assets. Instead of treating blockchain as an experimental technology limited to cryptocurrencies, policymakers are positioning distributed ledger systems as a foundational component of the country’s financial architecture.

By digitizing ownership rights and economic value into blockchain-based tokens, authorities aim to create a more efficient environment where assets can be issued, transferred, and traded with minimal friction. This shift signals a broader recognition that digital asset infrastructure is not merely a technological innovation but a structural evolution capable of reshaping capital formation, investment accessibility, and cross-sector financing.

Expanding Market Accessibility Through Tokenization

One of the most transformative elements of tokenized assets is the ability to lower barriers to entry for investors. Traditional financial markets often require substantial capital commitments, extensive documentation, and multiple intermediaries before transactions can be executed. Tokenization removes many of these constraints by allowing assets to be fractionalized and traded digitally, enabling smaller investors to participate in markets historically dominated by institutional capital.

This democratization of investment opportunities is expected to unlock new liquidity channels across sectors such as real estate, industrial projects, commodities, and intellectual property. As more assets become digitally represented on blockchain networks, investors gain access to diversified portfolios that were previously inaccessible due to scale, regulatory complexity, or geographical limitations.

Building a Digitally Native Financial Infrastructure

Russia’s initiative reflects a broader strategy of embedding blockchain technology directly into the core infrastructure of its financial ecosystem. Rather than launching isolated pilot programs, authorities are working toward a coordinated framework involving financial regulators, government agencies, and market institutions. The objective is to create a standardized environment where digital tokens representing real-world value can coexist with traditional financial instruments.

The early phase of implementation focuses on assets that do not require complex state registration procedures, allowing regulators to establish operational models before expanding tokenization to more regulated asset classes. Over time, the program is expected to evolve toward the digitization of bonds, corporate ownership structures, and other financial instruments that form the backbone of capital markets.

Economic Efficiency, Liquidity, and Market Competitiveness

Tokenization has the potential to reshape financial efficiency by reducing administrative overhead, accelerating settlement times, and minimizing reliance on intermediaries. When ownership transfers are recorded on distributed ledgers, transaction processes become faster, more transparent, and less costly. These improvements can significantly enhance liquidity, allowing assets that were once difficult to trade to move freely across digital markets.

Greater liquidity not only improves pricing efficiency but also strengthens the investment appeal of underlying assets. For financial institutions, tokenized collateral and digitized securities may lead to more flexible credit systems, enabling improved risk management and more dynamic financing structures.

Strategic Implications for Financial Sovereignty

Beyond efficiency and innovation, the development of tokenized financial infrastructure carries strategic implications. Nations seeking greater resilience in their domestic financial systems increasingly view blockchain-based markets as tools for reducing reliance on external financial networks. By establishing an internal ecosystem where capital markets operate through domestically controlled digital platforms, governments can enhance financial independence while fostering innovation in fintech and digital asset services.

Russia’s initiative illustrates how tokenization is becoming a macroeconomic strategy rather than a niche technological experiment. As more governments and financial institutions explore similar frameworks, the global transition toward digitally native asset markets is likely to accelerate, redefining how ownership, capital, and investment operate in the digital age.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What are real-world assets (RWAs) in blockchain finance?
Real-world assets are physical or traditional financial assets—such as real estate, commodities, intellectual property, or securities—that are represented digitally as tokens on a blockchain, allowing them to be traded more efficiently.

Why are governments interested in asset tokenization?
Governments see tokenization as a way to modernize capital markets, increase investment accessibility, improve transaction efficiency, and support financial innovation within regulated environments.

How does tokenization improve liquidity?
By enabling fractional ownership and digital trading, tokenization allows assets to be bought and sold more easily, attracting a broader range of investors and increasing overall market activity.

Will tokenized assets replace traditional financial instruments?
In the near term, tokenized assets are more likely to complement traditional systems rather than replace them. Over time, hybrid financial models combining conventional markets and blockchain-based trading platforms are expected to emerge.

What sectors could benefit most from RWA tokenization?
Industries involving high-value or illiquid assets—such as real estate, infrastructure, commodities, intellectual property, and private equity—are expected to benefit significantly from tokenization due to improved accessibility and trading flexibility.

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