Mathias Imbach (Sygnum Bank) on the importance of crypto banking (EP.153)

Published: Dec. 2, 2020, 11 a.m.

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Mathias Imbach, cofounder and CEO of Sygnum Singapore, joins the show. In this episode:\\xa0

  • How Mathias came to cofound Sygnum
  • The state of affairs in Crypto Valley in Switzerland today
  • Why crypto banks are necessary and useful
  • Why the company is split \\u2013 cofounders, offices, and investors \\u2013 between Zurich and Singapore
  • Why Switzerland and Singapore are suitable venues for a crypto bank
  • The case for convergence between traditional financial infrastructure and the crypto industry
  • Sygnum\'s product lineup
  • Current regulatory attitudes towards the crypto industry in Switzerland in Singapore
  • How Sygnum compares with the entities receiving crypto-focused bank charters in the U.S.
  • Switzerland\'s treatment of the Travel Rule for crypto exchanges
  • The current state of EU regulations for crypto service providers
  • How Sygnum created a tokenized Swiss Franc backed directly by central bank liabilities
  • Differences between tokenized base money and a state-issued CBDC
  • Mathias\' explanations for the renewed enthusiasm for Bitcoin in the market
  • Why Bitcoin and gold decoupled earlier this year \\u2013\\xa0and how Bitcoin stopped being a rates bet
  • How Sygnum\'s clients are an indication of the changing nature of Bitcoin investors
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