For years, the relationship between crypto and traditional banking has been fraught with hesitation, caution, and in many cases, outright resistance.

The tide is turning. Regulated banks are adopting frontier technologies with renewed vigour, including stablecoins and next-generation blockchain tokens.

Nowhere is this shift more apparent than in Switzerland, where a mature crypto and digital asset market is backed by favourable startup conditions and a comprehensive regulatory framework.

What does it all mean for the future of Swiss banking? Broadgate’s Callum Dudrenec explores in more detail below.

How Swiss Banks Are Deploying Stablecoins and Blockchain

From cross-border payments to tokenised assets, Swiss banks are beginning to translate blockchain’s potential into practical solutions. The most striking example to date comes from Amina Bank.

·      Amina Bank, having previously become the first regulated firm to offer SUI, the native token of the SUI blockchain, made history for the second time recently as the first bank to support Ripple’s US dollar-backed stablecoin.

The growing institutional appetite for newer blockchain technologies suggests a looming structural shift.

As the SBA mentioned in its recent Stablecoins in Switzerland report, banks are, ‘fundamentally interested in the strategic options and new use cases within the evolving blockchain-based (financial) economy.’

Early Adoption

Currently, the most relevant opportunities include the use of stablecoins to modernise payment systems and the application of tokenisation to reconfigure how financial instruments are issued and exchanged.

Both developments point toward a financial system that is faster, more transparent, and less dependent on traditional intermediaries.

Switzerland has already made great strides in tokenisation, but what we’re seeing now is a shift from early milestones to broader institutional adoption, with stablecoins and blockchain moving from proof-of-concept into the core of banking strategy.

Mainstream Legitimisation

Crypto’s wider market momentum runs parallel to the advancements in Swiss banking, reflected in the increasing number of corporates holding crypto on their balance sheets.

According to NASDAQ, listed companies have already purchased 3.3 times more Bitcoin than the total new supply issued so far in 2025.

For banks and corporates alike, this mainstreaming creates an urgent need for talent capable of bridging traditional financial expertise with the new realities of blockchain, regulation, and digital strategy.

 Based on our recent hiring mandates across Switzerland, we’re seeing the rise of digital assets influence recruitment agendas in most areas of financial services, with demand soaring for Risk, Compliance, Sales & Relationship Management, and broader front-office functions (including portfolio management). 

Whether you’re hiring or hoping to get hired, it’s worth noting that:

  • Switzerland, despite being a global leader in this space, still has a small domestic talent pool. Firms will need to look across borders to remain competitive in the race to embed digital assets into their core strategies.

  • Continuity risk is moving centre stage. As banks take a more strategic approach to resilience, digital assets are adding new dimensions for risk teams to manage.

  • Compliance is getting more complex. Professionals who can navigate overlapping regimes (FINMA, MiCA, SEC, etc.) are in short supply.

  • Given the digitalisation trend, traditional banks are increasingly forced to compete in the same talent pool as FinTechs, driving talent competition.

  • Front-office roles are evolving. Swiss banks are integrating digital assets into their offerings, and client-facing professionals are expected to understand how these fit within broader financial strategies.

Support From Broadgate

Digital assets represent both a technological shift and a key talent challenge in banking, and both will decide which institutions lead the market and which risk falling behind.

 If these shifts sound familiar and you’re trying to navigate the current market, Broadgate’s consultants are always happy to connect. Whether you’re looking for hiring support or want to learn more about the burgeoning crypto market, feel free to reach out to Callum directly: callum.dudrenec@broadgatesearch.com.