The iconic ski resort of Zermatt has become the second local authority in Switzerland to allow residents to pay their tax bills using the cryptocurrency bitcoin.
This content was published on
2 minutes
I write about the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence technology and its possible impacts on society.
Originally from England, I spent some time at the BBC in London before moving to Switzerland to join SWI swissinfo.ch.
Zermatt, which lies in the shadow of the Matterhorn mountain, said on Tuesday that it will allow people living there to pay the whole range of taxes in bitcoin with no limit on the amount they contribute in the cryptocurrency.
Zermatt, a regular haunt for well-heeled winter sports fans from around the world, has taken this a step further, accepting unlimited bitcoin tax payments plus up to CHF150 in bitcoin for administrative services.
“We are in the process of developing our IT technology across all departments,” Zermatt mayor Romy Biner-Hauser told swissinfo.ch. “We are open to new innovations and are curious to see how cryptocurrencies could fit in with our infrastructure.”
The resort has teamed up with Zug-based crypto financial services company Bitcoin SuisseExternal link to process the cryptocurrency payments. The same company performs this task for Zug while Chiasso employs the services of local blockchain company EidooExternal link.
“We are curious to see how many people want to use bitcoin to pay their tax bills,” Biner-Hauser added. “We do not expect too many people at first, but we want to show that we are keeping up with the times and are not old fashioned.”
Popular Stories
More
Climate adaptation
Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world
Higher direct payments fail to curb scrub encroachment on alpine pastures
This content was published on
The scrub encroachment on Swiss alpine pastures leads to the loss of grassland and damages the typical landscape. It is also responsible for the decline in biodiversity. Despite higher direct payments, the bushes continue to spread.
Head of Swiss financial regulator’s Banks division quits
This content was published on
Thomas Hirschi, head of the Banks division of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA will leave at the end of August.
Swiss population satisfied with life according to survey
This content was published on
In a survey, the population of German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland expressed general satisfaction with their lives. Respondents were less happy with politics and their personal finances, according to the online comparison service Moneyland.
WHO ‘extremely concerned’ about growing vaccination scepticism
This content was published on
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), vaccination scepticism and a collapse in funding for vaccination campaigns pose a major threat to the health of the world's population.
High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
This content was published on
The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.
Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus
This content was published on
Researchers from the Universities of Basel and Zurich (UZH) have sequenced the genome of the Spanish flu virus, thanks to a sample taken from an 18-year-old Swiss boy who died in the city on the Limmat in 1918, when the pandemic spread around the world.
Swiss martyr beatified in Barcelona by Catholic Church
This content was published on
François-Benjamin May (1870-1909), a member of the Marist Brothers congregation, has been recognised as a 'blessed' by the Catholic Church.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Zug first to accept bitcoin for government services
This content was published on
The Zug municipality made the decision at its meeting on May 3 and the pilot project will start from July 1 and continue until the end of 2016. Bitcoin payments up to a value of CHF200 ($205.8 or 0.44 XBT) will be accepted for standard government services. The authorities claim they want to lead by…
This content was published on
Chiasso announced that it would take bitcoin to settle up to CHF250 ($265) of tax bills from the start of next year. The decision was taken after consulting with cryptocurrency and blockchain companies that have recently set up in the region. “Chiasso is recognised internationally as an epicentre of a growing technological and economic growth…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.