London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

What is Switzerland’s digital stock exchange SDX?

What is Switzerland’s digital stock exchange SDX?

Switzerland has become the latest country to clear the way for trading digital assets with a new stock exchange. We break down what it is and what it changes.

Switzerland has become the latest country to clear the way for better regulation of digital currencies like Bitcoin, and perhaps NFTs in the future too.

On Friday, Switzerland’s stock exchange SIX won regulatory approval to launch a digital stock exchange called SIX Digital Exchange (SDX), which could be a step towards the creation of a global network of digital asset trading.

"The digitalisation of financial markets continues apace, and while the final shape of the market is still evolving, this is an important milestone in providing institutional investors with a safe and robust infrastructure," Thomas Zeeb, SIX's global head of exchanges, said in a statement.

So, what will it do and how will it impact digital currencies? Euronews Next takes a look.

How did it happen?


SIX has been working on the digital exchange since 2018. But they wanted Swiss approval so it could create a global network of digital asset trading.

On September 10, SDX said it had finally obtained two licenses from FINMA, Switzerland’s market watchdog.

One license is for the stock exchange and the other for a central securities depository.

The licenses will allow it to operate a stock exchange and depository for blockchain-based securities. More importantly, it allows the stock exchange to open up its infrastructure to supervised financial institutions.

SIX has not yet disclosed when the platform will go live.

What will the SDX do?


SIX said it plans to offer stocks and bonds in the form of digital tokens.

Investors will be able to trade, settle, and store digital tokens on one platform via regulated institutions.

“SDX can now offer the highest Swiss standards of oversight and regulation,” its website said.

SDX will run on distributed ledger technology. This means transactions will be recorded digitally across multiple sites and assets can be tracked. It’s a system that is based on blockchain.

The exchange said on Friday it sees the platform creating a global exchange network for digital assets as the customer base for such assets expands to include banks, issuers, insurance firms and institutional investors.

SDX is expected to initially begin trading in bonds, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, adding it was unlikely that shares in already publicly listed companies would hit the digital exchange in the immediate future.

El Salvador is now using Bitcoin as legal tender


SIX officials previously said stocks and possibly exchange-traded funds could also trade on the digital bourse.

They also hinted that other assets - such as paintings or vintage cars - could also be exchanged on SDX in the form of tokens.

Monumental move


The launch of the Swiss platform is a massive leap above other major global stock exchanges to offer securities based on blockchain.

The move comes as cryptocurrencies have been seeing growing acceptance around the world.

Last week, El Salvador became the first country to accept Bitcoin as legal tender. In the same week, Ukraine also adopted a law that will legalise and regulate cryptos.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
×