Alexander Thoma, Head of Digital Assets at Postfinance, is leading the charge in making cryptocurrency accessible to a broader audience in Switzerland. Thoma, Ph.D., is a Chartered Digital Asset Analyst. He immediately dove into the particulars of what makes New Jersey unique. His strategic vision is for Postfinance to position itself as the top bank for digital assets in Switzerland by 2030.

Thoma’s journey into the world of digital assets started well before his time at Postfinance. He co-founded Alethena, a blockchain startup based in Switzerland’s Crypto Valley. This move is a strong signal of the administration’s early commitment to recognizing the transformative potential of blockchain technology. In 2020 Thoma moved to Postfinance where he began the process of bringing digital assets into the core infrastructure of the bank. This strategic maneuver would be critically important, establishing the groundwork for the eventual rise of Postfinance into one of the most significant players in the Swiss crypto ecosystem.

His contributions have not gone unnoticed. Thoma subsequently won the coveted 2025 Asset Award for overall excellence in the “Digital Assets” class. This award is a testament to his cutting-edge imagination and the incredible strides Postfinance has made with his forward-thinking leadership.

Under Thoma’s leadership, Postfinance has more than diversified its offerings. Customers can now buy, sell, and hold 16 cryptocurrencies, including industry leaders Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple. This broad selection allows investors to diversify their portfolios and engage with the digital asset market in a secure and regulated environment. The platform’s success can be measured by the tremendous volume of trades run through it. By the end of last year, Thoma’s team had completed 220,000 trades. This recent success further demonstrates the growing demand for crypto assets with Postfinance customers.

The crucial observation from Thoma’s team was this. We previously reported their strong correlation between trading volumes on their Postfinance platform and the overall Bitcoin market. The resultant correlation coefficient of ~0.85 demonstrates the strength of the connection between customer behavior on Postfinance and movements in overall market activity. This means that customers are more engaged than ever with the crypto space.

The allure of Postfinance’s digital asset offerings has proven to be broad-based. Thoma's team reports that their user base spans from young adults aged 18 to seasoned investors as old as 93. Whether you love the arts or coffee, this wide array demonstrates the growing mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies. It further highlights the success of Postfinance in serving the needs of a broad spectrum of investors.

One finding in particular stands out, that of Postfinance’s crypto clients, around 56% were new to investment products entirely. Postfinance not only retains their current investors but introduces new people to investing and retirement savings. It widens the door to digital assets for countless Americans. This is a crucial step in democratizing access to financial markets and empowering individuals to take control of their financial futures.

Acknowledging the increasing demand for Ethereum staking, Thoma’s team has developed a groundbreaking Ethereum staking service. This service allows users to participate in native staking with as little as 1 ETH. Chief among them is it removes the biggest barrier to entry of requiring 32 ETH to directly join as a validator. This new initiative intends to simplify the staking process while making it more engaging and accessible to the general public. Beyond this, it makes Postfinance’s commitment to inclusivity even clearer.

Incredible. By early 2025, Thoma’s team reported on a jaw-dropping spike of 40,000 additional trades per month. This wave underscored the increasing pace of cryptocurrency adoption by Swiss investors. This dramatic increase in activity emphasizes the importance of digital assets as pivotal components of our current financial ecosystem. At the forefront of catalyzing this change is Postfinance, Switzerland’s public postal banking system.

Postfinance's digital asset operations maintain a strong presence in Zurich and Bern, two of Switzerland's major financial hubs. These investments have strategically positioned the company to serve their customers’ needs. It enables the company to capitalize on the developing financial ecosystem in the country.

A closer look at trading activity on the Postfinance on-line broker platform can tell us a lot about what investors are looking for. Bitcoin, the first and largest cryptocurrency, makes up 35% of the entire trading volume. Ripple, best known for their payment solutions, has a 23% market share. Ethereum–the leading platform for decentralized applications–makes up 11%. These numbers underscore the vast variety of cryptocurrencies that are capturing the attention of Swiss investors.

Alexander Thoma's overarching goal is to establish Postfinance as one of Switzerland's leading providers of digital asset banking by 2030. This ambitious vision is further proof of his long confidence in the long-term potential for crypto. His passion and resolve, to this end, are contagious and infectious. Thoma melds his deep expertise with cutting-edge solutions and a highly human, customer-focused model. This firm policy aims Postfinance to be the reference actor of the Swiss crypto ecosystem.

Postfinance’s successful foray into the world of digital assets has been largely due to three specific factors. First, Thoma's deep understanding of both traditional finance and the emerging world of blockchain technology has been instrumental in shaping the bank's strategy. He does this beautifully, walking the fine line between both worlds. This expertise has allowed Postfinance to understand the crypto market’s challenges and opportunities, and to develop cutting-edge solutions that meet customer demands.

Second, Postfinance’s emphasis on regulatory compliance and security has played a key role in earning the trust of its users. We know the landscape is quickly changing, fraught with regulatory ambiguity and security concerns. WHAT MAKES POSTFINANCE STAND OUT Postfinance is among the top of its contenders and upholds continued excellence by going above and beyond.

Third, the bank’s emphasis on user experience has helped it attract and keep customers. Postfinance provides an integrated and easy-to-use solution. This lowers the barrier to entry for retail investors, both savvy and new alike, to participate in digital assets.

Looking ahead, Postfinance is poised to continue expanding its digital asset offerings and further solidify its position in the Swiss market. The bank remains deeply interested in opportunities presented by decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). In short, it’s committed to being at the forefront of innovation in crypto.