Can we better align tradition & innovation in finance?
Switzerland has long stood as a global leader in finance and banking, built on trust, reg certainty, and international reach. Recently, the country has also positioned itself as a serious innovator in fintech, particularly in blockchain, digitalassets, wealthtech. The IFZ Study 2024, Switzerland ranks 6th globally in fintech ecosystem output.
Major fintech studies also agree that despite Switzerland’s fintech sector is mature, well-regulated, and blockchain-friendly, its growth remains cautious and fragmented. In particular, while Switzerland boasts high potential for fintech–tradfi integration, in practice this integration is still too shallow and too slow, and in international comparison the adoption of fintech solutions by Swiss banks and insurers reportedly lacks scale and urgency.
In markets like Sgp and the UK, fintech-tradfi integration is actively driven by regulators through sandboxes, grants, and structured innovation programs. MAS co-funds fintech pilots directly within banks. UK financial institutions run open banking platforms and in-house accelerators. The UAE pushes co-innovation through dedicated financial free zones.
I firmly believe that Switzerland has the technology or regulatory tools. I am not sure if we currently combine our strengths in tradition and innovation with sufficient cohesion, strategic focus, and speed. Globally, others are moving fast. For instance, Sgp has made fintech a national priority, and, in the US, banks like JPMorgan, Citi, are aggressively acquiring or integrating fintech solutions.
Beyond having the right frameworks, integration is about intentional connectivity. Even with perfect regulation, Bank A must know about Fintech B, understand the opportunity, and be capable of acting on it, strategically and technically. That takes proximity, awareness, and mindset. For Switzerland, cross-border alignment remains essential, but domestic integration is the enabler.
Organizations like SFTA, SFTI, CVA, the Blockchain Federation, Digital Switzerland, SICTIC and others are all doing a fantastic job, and I have proudly been part of the effort. Real value has been created. There is however no harm in asking whether fragmentation within the ecosystem weakens strategic clarity and reduces collective visibility over time.
What if we imagined a Fintech Council defined as a neutral, cross-sector umbrella body uniting associations, startups, banks, regulators, and academia? Its mission would be to coordinate policy dialogue, foster integration through shared infrastructure and pilot projects, promote Swiss fintech internationally, and drive education and knowledge transfer. Think Swissmem or Swiss Medtech, but for finance.
Essential: Not yet another lobbying group, but an industry-led integrator.
