Zug, December 17, 2021 ̶ Bitcoin Suisse today announced that its Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Niklas Nikolajsen von Karlshof, will hand over his responsibility as Chairman to Luzius Meisser as of January 1, 2022. At the Board of Directors meeting on December 16, 2021, Luzius Meisser was unanimously appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of Bitcoin Suisse since 2017. Niklas Nikolajsen von Karlshof founded Bitcoin Suisse in 2013 and will remain with the company as Honorary Chairman.

Niklas Nikolajsen von Karlshof, Founder and Acting Chairman of Bitcoin Suisse says: «In 2011 I moved to Switzerland with the sole aim of building a crypto asset brokerage. In 2013 I launched Bitcoin Suisse, together with Fabian Hediger and Andrej Majcen, convinced of the potential of digital assets and crypto-financial services. It has been an incredible journey and an exceptional privilege to see our dreams become reality. Our convictions helped build Bitcoin Suisse into a leading crypto-financial services provider of global importance. Today, our company has crypto assets of more than CHF 7 billion under direct custody and generated revenues of CHF 70.3 million in the first half of 2021 alone. 2021 is set to become a record year for Bitcoin Suisse and we expect to more than double our net income compared to last year. We employ over 290 exceptional professionals and work with leading companies from both the digital assets space and the traditional field of finance – and we keep innovating and providing new services to the market. Large scale adoption by institutions and consumers has become reality. I am extremely thankful and very proud of the major part Bitcoin Suisse has played in making this happen, as well as for our role in founding the Swiss crypto financial services marketplace as it exists today.»

Niklas Nikolajsen von Karlshof added: «This is the right time to hand over the responsibility to a new Chairman of the Board to further guide the strategic direction of our company. I am extremely confident that in Luzius Meisser, the company has found the right person for this role. Luzius has been close to Bitcoin Suisse for a long time, serving on the Board of Directors for more than four years, and he is a renowned expert in his field. He is also somebody who builds bridges to the stakeholders and communities, which will be key for the future success of digital assets and crypto-financial services. I consider him a close friend and a person of the utmost integrity. For my part, for almost nine years I have been giving all I can to Bitcoin Suisse – it is now the time for me to dedicate more attention to my private affairs, not least my family. For me it is a logical next step to take this decision which I have now made, and with Luzius Meisser, the company could not wish for a better candidate. I will remain available to Luzius and Bitcoin Suisse in my new advisory role, I will remain a sizable shareholder – and I am looking forward to supporting the further path of the company as Honorary Chairman.»

Luzius Meisser, Chairman designate of Bitcoin Suisse said: «As early investor and member of the Board of Directors I have been part of the journey of Bitcoin Suisse since 2017. We are a pioneer and key enabler of the crypto ecosystem. With our innovative strength and know-how, we have contributed significantly to the Crypto Valley. Bitcoin Suisse has seen a tremendous development and increase in value within a few years. It is a great honor to be trusted to help lead the next stage of the development of Bitcoin Suisse as Chairman of the Board of Directors from 2022 on.»

Luzius Meisser added: «With each new wave of adoption, crypto currencies and blockchain technology gain in economic relevance, while public trust in many traditional currencies and financial institutions is in decline. The current decade poses a great opportunity for us to help shaping a new and better financial system. We want to position ourselves such that we can continue to be at the forefront of innovation and capture the value of emerging trends in crypto for our clients and shareholders, navigating the technical, operational and legal challenges this entails. Our history and experience show that we can clearly outperform the markets we are operating in. In particular for Switzerland, the success of crypto currencies is of great strategic interest, as decentralization naturally shifts the balance of power towards the smaller countries and political units.»

Luzius Meisser concluded: «I am very happy that Niklas will remain with us as Honorary Chairman and that we can continue to build on his pioneering spirit. It is too early to measure his success, only in the years to come will we be in a position to judge how important the entirety of his contribution for the early adoption of crypto finance has been, making Switzerland a place of meaningful innovation and a global center of crypto finance. I very much look forward to continuing this great commitment!»

Luzius Meisser has been a member of the Board of Directors of Bitcoin Suisse since 2017. He has been closely following Bitcoin and crypto since 2011, co-founded Bitcoin Association Switzerland in 2013, and is a member of the expert council of Swiss Blockchain Federation. He holds a master’s degree in computer science from ETH Zurich and a master’s degree in economics from University of Zurich. After graduating, Luzius Meisser co-founded a decentralized cloud storage company and after its sale started investing in Swiss technology and crypto startups, accompanying them in various roles.

Composition of the Board of Directors of Bitcoin Suisse AG as of January 1, 2022:

• Luzius Meisser, Chairman of the Board of Directors
• Urs Bigger, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors
• Giles Keating, Member of the Board of Directors
• Roger Studer, Member of the Board of Directors
• Arthur Vayloyan, Member of the Board of Directors and CEO of Bitcoin Suisse AG