Daily News 19

Tag: International expansion

  • Bitcoin Suisse Plans to Cut Up to Half Its Swiss Jobs as Work Shifts Abroad

    Bitcoin Suisse Plans to Cut Up to Half Its Swiss Jobs as Work Shifts Abroad

    Bitcoin Suisse Cuts 60 Jobs in Switzerland, Shifts Development Overseas

    Crypto financial services firm Bitcoin Suisse plans to eliminate up to 60 positions in Switzerland, reducing its domestic workforce by half, as the company moves software development and back-office operations to lower-cost international hubs. The Zug-based firm, which oversees more than $3 billion in digital assets under custody, employs roughly 200 people globally.

    Restructuring Driven by Cost Efficiency

    As part of the reorganization, Bitcoin Suisse is closing its IT development site in Copenhagen. The company already operates a technology hub in Bratislava, Slovakia, and intends to establish another in Vietnam. CEO and co-founder Andrej Majcen explained the rationale to Swiss outlet Finews, which first reported the restructuring:

    “In Bratislava and Vietnam, we can provide these services at significantly lower cost,”

    Majcen emphasized that the decision reflects the company’s international growth strategy and is unrelated to difficult crypto market conditions.

    Expansion Beyond Crypto Services

    Founded in 2013, Bitcoin Suisse offers crypto trading, custody, staking, and lending. According to Majcen, the firm now aims to broaden its scope into wealth and asset management services targeting high-net-worth individuals and institutional clients.

    To support that expansion, the company has begun securing regulatory licenses. Its Liechtenstein subsidiary received authorization in June under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, enabling it to serve clients across selected European Economic Area markets.

  • Alpaca Opens Brokerage Infrastructure to Kalshi Event Contracts

    Alpaca Opens Brokerage Infrastructure to Kalshi Event Contracts

    Kalshi Partners With Alpaca to Expand Prediction Markets Beyond the US

    Kalshi is partnering with brokerage infrastructure provider Alpaca to expand access to its event contracts outside the United States.

    The agreement comes as financial infrastructure firms increasingly add Kalshi contracts to their platforms. Finance Magnates reported that Alpaca recently registered as a futures commission merchant (FCM) with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, while Apex launched an API enabling brokers and fintech companies to offer Kalshi contracts without building their own FCM infrastructure or direct exchange connectivity.

    Tony Lee, Alpaca’s chief brokerage officer. Source: LinkedIn

    Alpaca Customers to Gain Access to Kalshi Contracts

    Under the agreement, financial institutions using Alpaca’s technology will be able to offer Kalshi contracts through their existing brokerage infrastructure. Availability will remain subject to regulatory approval in each market.

    Tony Lee, Alpaca’s chief brokerage officer, said customer demand was behind the company’s move into prediction markets.

    “Our mission is really to open up financial services to as many people around the world as possible,” Lee said. “You really have to go where the customer demand is.”

    Alpaca works with more than 300 financial institutions and reaches around 14 million brokerage accounts globally. Kalshi said the network could help support its expansion into additional markets.

    Alpaca reaches 14 million brokerage accounts across more than 300 financial institutions worldwide, giving Kalshi a potential route for international expansion.

    Alpaca API Supports Kalshi’s International Expansion

    Kalshi Vice President of Business Development Max Crowley said Alpaca’s reputation and technology were important to the partnership.

    “They’re a trusted brand, they’re technology forward,” Kalshi Vice President of Business Development Max Crowley said. “This technical partnership enables that.”

    Kalshi has also expanded through other financial firms. In June, the company partnered with Canadian financial firm Wealthsimple to offer its markets in Canada.

    Alpaca’s API has about 83,000 monthly users and enables developers to build trading applications. Its infrastructure could also support automated trading activity in prediction markets.