Marc Bernegger, Director of Crypto Finance interview with Matt Bird at World Economic Forum (DAVOS)
HIGHLIGHTS
- First Swiss Regulated investment Crypto firm
- Creates a platform of conversation for all technology users
- Saw Huge evolution in blockchain community in past year
FULL COVERAGE
INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS: Marc Bernegger, Director of Crypto Finance interview with Matt Bird
Matt Bird (Show Host, Traders Network Show):00:00
Welcome back to the Traders Network Show broadcasting worldwide on Equities.com. We’re in Davos, Switzerland and covering the 2019 World Economic Forum. And my next guest is Marc Bernegger. Marc, how you doing?
Marc Bernegger (Director, Crypto Finance): 00:12
Yeah. Hi. Nice to be here this week here during the world economic forum in Davos.
Matt Bird (Show Host, Traders Network Show): 00:16
Well it’s great to have you, Marc, you’re a board member of the crypto, excuse me if I get this crypto finance group, is that correct?
Marc Bernegger (Director, Crypto Finance): 00:20
Yeah, exactly, exactly.
Matt Bird (Show Host, Traders Network Show): 00:22
Well, I hear you guys are the first Swiss regulated investment firm on the crypto side here in Switzerland.
Marc Bernegger (Director, Crypto Finance): 00:33
We are the first and so far, only fully regulated there said miniature in Switzerland. And as you can imagine, that opens a lot of doors, especially traditional big institutional investors. They are looking for boring, fully regulated companies, so that helps us along.
Matt Bird (Show Host, Traders Network Show): 00:44
And how’s momentum, Ben says you’ve been authorized.
Marc Bernegger (Director, Crypto Finance): 00:47
I mean we’ve worked for it roughly one and a half years. So literally we build everything from scratch. We have now roughly 50 people. And it was a long road to go and definitely not over yet.
Matt Bird (Show Host, Traders Network Show): 00:58
So why don’t you tell us a little bit about your focus on the advisory side because for the most part, advice funds and institutions and even high net worth investors and how to apply their funds and their money. Is that correct?
Marc Bernegger (Director, Crypto Finance): 01:12
Yeah, we help a traditional Institutional investors to move into the whole cryptocurrency space. That’s a, our main ambition and vision. We have three divisions. One is to encrypt the brokerage where we do brokerage solutions for institutional investors moving into crypto. We do asset management and we do storage, always focusing on qualified and institutional investors.
Matt Bird (Show Host, Traders Network Show):01:31
Well listen, we’ve only got a few minutes left, but you know, for the Caspian week, which we both met here, and I thought we just had to get you on camera. Can you give us the Caspian week top three things that know both on the, the pitfalls or things we should watch out for if you’re looking to invest in crypto, either institutionally in the blockchain side or on the front-end side. And on the flip side of it, part two is what are you bullish on? So, let’s start with the first part. What are some people should be cautious of on investing?
Marc Bernegger (Director, Crypto Finance): 02:01
Yeah, I would say even if it’s crypto, the rules are not different than in the traditional world. I mean, if you invest in a shitty team with the shitty idea, even a, if they have the best marketing material ever, it’s still shitty. So that’s why don’t just follow the marketing material. On the eldest side, I would say We see a huge revolution happening similar to the.com. wave we saw in 1999 so we’re in the postpartum phase, but most of the real foundations very now all live in a R yeah. Came out after the bubble. So, I think we’re in the most exciting times.
Matt Bird (Show Host, Traders Network Show):02:33
You know what, you were here last year. Yeah, I was here last year. And I would say that attendance here is about 10% of what it was last year. I mean, it was chaos in the streets. I felt like it was in times square in New York. Yeah, right. But I’ll say this, everybody who had a Bitcoin wallet, I had the means to get here and was trying to find a way to make something of cryptocurrency. But when we found this year, at least from my experience, it’s quality versus quantity, meaningful engagements and meaningful sifting went through and the people here I’ve actually, we’re making movement and strides with on regulation and on the enterprise integration side. So we do agree to that.
Marc Bernegger (Director, Crypto Finance):03:09
Yeah, definitely. It’s far more about substance. It’s far more about sustainable projects and also far less about speculation, which is great I think.
Matt Bird (Show Host, Traders Network Show):03:17
I think so too. Alright, so your top three picks for, for 2019/2020, what are they?
Marc Bernegger (Director, Crypto Finance):03:23
Yeah, I would say I’m a Bitcoin holder and believers. So I think Bitcoin is not the mind space of the cryptocurrencies. It’s ultimately the foundation of everything we see in the space. And then I would say there are several new emerging projects. That’s the second focus where I would spend most of the time. And then
Matt Bird (Show Host, Traders Network Show):03:41
Do we have it? Do we have it? Do we have a specific industries like the healthcare and blockchain? They’ve helped their data. A supply chain where, where did you focus?
Marc Bernegger (Director, Crypto Finance):03:49
I would say we see a lot of interesting developments in the logistics supply chain space and the stereotypes that they make sense
Matt Bird (Show Host, Traders Network Show):03:55
Hyperledger is making big, big strides there.
Marc Bernegger (Director, Crypto Finance):03:59
And then also I think ultimately, and that’s something a lot of people don’t really want to hear. I think in government we see a huge potential where blockchain can really change the whole system.
Matt Bird (Show Host, Traders Network Show):04:09
Do you think, you know, I’ve experienced this, is that I’m finding, I’m seeing that governments are accepting innovation on the blockchain space cause they need to figure out how to create regulation around this, this, this tsunami of technology and momentum is being generated. It’s unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.
Marc Bernegger (Director, Crypto Finance):04:27
Yeah. That’s the case on the other side. I mean, ultimately blockchain is about decentralization. So I don’t know if all governments are really that deep into this, a decentralized way of doing business. So, I think on the one side we read a lot about blockchain projects in governments on the other side. I think it’s also huge threat to certain governments. So, it will be exciting how the whole thing evolves.
Matt Bird (Show Host, Traders Network Show):04:49
You know, I believe there’s going to be a hybrid in the middle. I believe. You know, it’s decentralization. It’s just like polar opposites. Eventually it’s going to have to balance in the middle. I, that’s what I believe, but yeah, we’ll see where it goes. Nobody knows. Nobody knows. But you want to tell everybody where to go to and you have a website.
Marc Bernegger (Director, Crypto Finance):05:05
Yeah. Cryptofinance.CH– a Swiss company. As I said before, only focused on qualified and institutional investors. But there you will find far more information.
Matt Bird (Show Host, Traders Network Show):05:14
Well, I got to tell you have a terrific reputation in the street here. So I’m fortunate to have you out here. Thank you so much for coming on the show. Let’s get back in here and have a little more fun. You’re watching the Traders Network Show. I’m Matt Bird. We’ll be right back after these commercial messages with more guests.