The Federal Council launched a consultation on extending international automatic exchange of information in tax matters to cryptoassets. Deadline for comments is 6 September 2024.

In a joint statement issued on 10 November 2023, around 50 jurisdictions, including Switzerland, have undertaken to implement the expanded international automatic exchange of information in tax matters (AEOI). The expansion concerns cryptoassets and is to apply from 1 January 2026. The Federal Department of Finance (FDF) will prepare a consultation draft for the implementation of the expanded AEOI by the end of June 2024.

Following the adoption by the Parliament of the Federal Act on the Adaptation of Federal Law to Developments in Distributed Ledger Technology, the FDF issued a consultation on the blanket ordinance in the area of blockchain. This would incorporate the legislative amendments voted by Parliament into law at federal ordinance level. The consultation ends on 2 February 2021.

The Parliament adopted the Federal Act on the Adaptation of Federal Law to Developments in Distributed Ledger Technology, which amends specific provisions in 10 existing federal acts.

The council issued a report on the need to amend tax law with regard to blockchain. The report concluded that no special legislative amendments to tax law are necessary.

The council passed a law to adapt federal laws to developments in the technology of distributed electronic registers.

The FC adopted the dispatch on the further improvement of the framework conditions for distributed ledger technology (DLT)/blockchain. The proposal is aimed at increasing legal certainty, removing barriers for applications based on DLT and reducing the risk of abuse.