Dr. Mattia Rattaggi was genuinely grateful and honestly a little humbled, to have been included in the Crypto Valley Pioneers initiative supported by the City of Zug.
Being listed alongside individuals who, collectively and across very different roles, have shaped this ecosystem over many years is a meaningful recognition, reflecting the depth and diversity of contributions that made Crypto Valley what it is today, far beyond any single person’s efforts.
In the (largely unedited) interview for the project with its lead, Manuel Stagars, Dr Mattia Rattaggi reflects on moments and questions that shaped both his own path and the broader evolution of Crypto Valley, including:
- • How he moved from traditional finance to crypto
• How and why he gravitated toward crypto in 2016
• The major crypto projects he carried out / advised
• What Zug was like before Crypto Valley
• Which were his first touch points with Bitcoin and crypto
• Whether people in the traditional financial sector discussed the Bitcoin white paper in 2009
• How he transitioned from banking into crypto in 2016
• Whether it was rare for a senior executive to work with crypto projects in 2017
• The ICO boom of 2017/18
• How Crypto Valley in 2017 became a magnet and role model for crypto jurisdictions
• How Crypto Valley became a safe place for crypto entrepreneurs from all over the world
• How the first regulations for crypto came about
• Why banks were against crypto at that time
• How he co-started the world’s first crypto bank, SEBA
• Whether Swiss crypto banks have been catalysts for the acceptance of crypto assets we see today
• Whether the first crypto banks could only have happened in Crypto Valley
• Whether the crypto asset space today would look different without Crypto Valley
• The significance of Crypto Valley
• Why Crypto Valley did not happen by accident
• What Crypto Valley might look like in 20 years
• Whether he feels a sense of pride having helped shape Crypto Valley
