Digital Euro & U.S. GENIUS Act – Opportunities and Risks for the Swiss Financial Center

Summary

Digitalization is permeating almost all areas of life and work and is not stopping at monetary and currency systems. At the end of October 2025, the Governing Council of the European Central Bank announced the completion of the preparation phase for the Digital Euro and set the objective of being ready for a potential first issuance in 2029. Only a few months earlier, the U.S. administration enacted the GENIUS Act, establishing a regulatory framework for token-based money in the form of stablecoins. 

Switzerland has also responded to these recent developments. In October 2025, the Federal Council opened the consultation process on an amendment to the Financial Institutions Act. The proposed changes aim to improve the framework conditions for market development, enhance Switzerland’s attractiveness as a financial center, and facilitate the integration of innovative financial technologies into the existing financial system. The consultation process concluded in February 2026. 

Within this dynamic interplay of innovation, regulation, and geopolitical implications, both opportunities and risks are emerging for the Swiss financial center. 

This event offers risk managers and other interested professionals from the financial industry exclusive insights into international developments and aims to provide impulses for future strategic positioning. 

Speakers

• Manuel Wendle, Head of Operational Risk at Basler Kantonalbank
  Manuel Wendle holds an MBA from the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), completed through the Swiss-Asian MBA program. His thesis, “Building a Trusted Monetary System around Central Bank Digital Currencies,” received a university award and has gained broad recognition across both the central banking and technology communities. He continues his research on stablecoins, CBDCs, and the future architecture of digital monetary systems. In his presentation, he will examine the foundations of trust in digital money and outline strategic opportunities for Swiss banks to strengthen their competitive position amid global monetary innovation.
• Alexander Feenie, Founder & CEO, STRIDE
  Alexander Feenie is the founder and CEO of STRIDE, a digital currency infrastructure company enabling banks and NBFIs to enter the stablecoin economy in a compliant manner. He specializes in designing digital money systems that connect banks, payment providers, and fintechs, with a focus on stablecoins, CBDCs, and tokenized deposits. Drawing on experience across financial infrastructure and strategy consulting, he has led initiatives with central banks, regulators, and financial institutions worldwide. In his work and presentations, he focuses on the practical implementation of regulated digital currencies, bridging policy, risk management, and technology to support scalable and resilient monetary systems.
• Patrick Schueffel, Adjunct Professor at the School of Management, Fribourg (HEG-FR)
  Patrick Schueffel is specialized in digital assets, decentralized finance, and the evolving architecture of modern banking. He has published research on financial innovation, including work on Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and central bank digital currencies (CBDC) and the Digital Euro. His publications appear in international academic journals and professional outlets. Alongside his research, he is involved in developing new digital private banking models at the intersection of traditional finance and blockchain technology. In his work and presentations, he critically examines the implications of monetary digitization and explores strategic opportunities for banks navigating the shift toward programmable and decentralized financial infrastructures.

Introduced by Sandro Schmid, Presidium & Board Member and Digital Age Chapter Chair of Swiss Risk Association and Managing Principal at EPAM.

Agenda

17:45 Arrival & Name Tag Collection
18:00 Welcome and Introduction (Sandro Schmid)
18:05 Opening Keynote (Manuel Wendle)
18:20 Expert Presentation (Alexander Feenie)
18:35 Expert Presentation (Patrick Schueffel)
18:50 Panel discussion and Q&A (moderated by Sandro Schmid)
19:20 Conclusion
19:30 Networking Drinks (all)
20:30 End

Chapter Event

The Digital Age Chapter explores the impact of rapidly evolving technologies on the financial industry. Through events, members will follow a structured narrative covering emerging technologies, new value propositions, and the assessment of opportunities and risks related to digital innovation.