Crypto valley
Crypto valley is the name given to a small district (Canton) called Zug (Map) in Switzerland which is becoming the "silicon valley" of the crypto world. This vision was established by Johann Gevers, the founder of Monetas who found the Swiss governmental structure to be the most decentralised in the world and the most receptive to the ideas behind crypto technology.
Johann wanted to not only base his own start-up there, but to also make Zug into an attractive centre to draw in more crypto companies and developers to build a thriving crypto-community. He also says that as a group they have more influence over local policy, because in Switzerland, local policy is strongly determined by the local stakeholders which makes it a much safer environment in which to operate a crypto business. This is especially important, given that many other countries around the world, even the US and UK, are becoming quite unfriendly towards crypto technology, because it represents a serious threat to their centralised power structures.
Contents
Crypto companies in the area
These are the crypto-related companies I've found in crypto valley so far:
- Monetas
- Ethereum
- Open Transactions
- Bitcoin Suisse AG
- Proton Mail
- Threema
- Silent Circle
- Sapphire Innovation
- Bitcoin Association Switzerland
- Xapo
- Shapeshift.io
- Swiss Bitcoin Exchange
Tax Payments in Cryptocurrencies
In September 2021, canton of Zug announced it was to become the first in Switzerland to take tax payments in cryptocurrencies. It's going to accept BTC and ETH.
Articles about Crypto Valley
- 26 Jan 2019: Defying Crypto Winter, Swiss Crypto Valley Grows to 750 Companies
- 07 Sep 2017: Crypto Valley Labs Launches Its First Blockchain Hub In Zug Switzerland
- 31 Oct 2016: For Blockchain Startups, Switzerland's 'Crypto Valley' is No New York
- 05 May 2016: Canton of Zug now accepting bitcoin for services
- 02 Jan 2016: 'CryptoValley Zug' well positioned to become the Silicon Valley of Finance in Europe
- 28 Oct 2015: Fintech In Switzerland: Success As A Niche Player
- 04 Oct 2015: Switzerland's Bitcoin Friendly Environment Proves Perfect for Distributed Ledger Technology Startups
- 07 Sep 2015: Bitcoin.com - Zug: The New Crypto and FinTech HotSpot!
- 04 Aug 2014: Wall-street journal: Crypto innovators find fertile ground in soft touch Switzerland
