Sascha Wullschleger, the Decentralized-Finance Conference takes place in Lugano this week for the fourth time. Why is the private bank BIL so heavily involved as a sponsor and co-organiser in the technology space?

Yes indeed, we are proud that for the last four years we have collaborated with Scytale Digital, creating this excellent Networking technology forum.

The business and financial landscape is constantly evolving, we simply continue to remain open-minded, vigilant towards new emerging industries that attract the interest of skilled professionals searching for new investment opportunities, growing their knowledge.

«Decentralized Lugano explores WEB3 technologies potential»

BIL Group, being an entrepreneurial bank, believed that being part of this new business opportunity, creating a platform designed to connect exceptional professionals and entrepreneurs from both traditional industries as well as the new frontier of digital assets, would increase awareness and help bridge the collaboration between these industries.

How did the idea for this conference come about?

Back in 2020, I worked together with the key people of Scytale Digital, Mark Cachia, CIO, and Christoph Kampitsch, CEO, and after a brainstorming session, we agreed to organize Scytale’s annual event in the southern part of Switzerland, in Lugano, offering breathtaking landscape scenery for all attendees.

The initial objective of the event was to promote awareness, knowledge, and education for forward-thinking entrepreneurs from various industries and potential investors interested in these innovative digital assets. Decentralized Lugano explores WEB3 technologies, their impact in various sectors, and aims to foster discussion and collaborations among industry leaders.

Why isn't this international event held in Zurich or Crypto Valley Zug?

Lugano is the third most important financial place in Switzerland. The main reason to hold Decentralized Lugano in this marvellous City is to expand, promote, and connect blockchain experts with entrepreneurs and investors.

The Lugano municipality in 2022 embraced digital innovation by introducing the LVGA token combined with BTC and USDT, allowing payments for ordinary services. This move by the Public Administration aimed to position Lugano as a leading blockchain hub in Europe, becoming viral worldwide.

«BIL's Lugano office opened in 1985»

Thanks to the collaboration between BIL Suisse Lugano office and our partner Scytale Digital, the private event was intentionally held in Lugano, committing to increasing professionalism and knowledge by bringing leading worldwide experts to share their expertise with the audience.

We also had the honour to have as Keynote speaker for two consecutive years, the renowned Gavin Wood. He is a computer scientist who made a pivotal contribution to the blockchain industry, notably as co-founder of Ethereum and creator of Polkadot and Kusama.

How large is BIL’s Lugano branch? Who are your target clients in this region?

The BIL Lugano office opened in 1985 and currently has seven employees servicing a worldwide client base. As a boutique bank, we provide innovative wealth solutions and services to international UHNWIs.

Our track record of working together with leading innovators and forward-thinking entrepreneurs allowed us to grow our business sustainably and successfully. Our target clients are leading entrepreneurs, families, and professional investors.

Besides BIL, who else is driving the Lugano Decentralized event?

BIL Suisse is the host and main sponsor. Scytale Digital is the organizer and promoter, making sure that every year high-level of experienced guest speakers and innovators attend the event.

Over the years, the Decentralized Lugano event has distinguished itself for the quality of shared information and knowledge among all attendees. Progressively, the event has become an excellent networking platform where entrepreneurs and professional investors meet and create new synergies and collaborations.

Which lessons or success stories from the first three editions shape the 2025 program and its desired outcomes?

One major lesson has been the importance of creating an intimate atmosphere with the right people. This allows for in-depth conversations between builders, investors, and policymakers. Past editions led to real outcomes like new funding, partnerships, and deeper regulatory insight, thanks to the event’s intentional format.

«If I reveal them now, I might get banned from future events»

In 2025, we’re building on this by curating the most relevant content and spaces that prioritize trust, depth, and momentum. Successful formats like last year’s will return, helping shape the future of decentralized systems through meaningful exchange.

What are this year’s highlights?

This year’s lineup brings together leaders from fintech, gaming, energy, and AI, showcasing just how far decentralized tech is reaching.

We’ve also got some big partner announcements coming… but if I reveal them now, I might get banned from future events. So, you’ll have to wait and see!

Many panels feature tokenised real-world assets and bank-grade infrastructure. What milestones must DeFi reach in 2025–26 for traditional banks to treat it as core rather than experimental?

This is a good question, and based on my interactions with the Scytale team, we see in many ways, the shift is already underway. Banks aren’t just watching DeFi, they’re building with it.

From J.P. Morgan’s Onyx platform settling tokenized collateral on-chain, to Société Générale issuing regulated security tokens on public blockchains, we’re seeing real movement. These aren’t experiments in a lab, they’re strategic steps toward integrating blockchain at the core.

At the same time, experimentation continues, particularly around permissionless DeFi and bleeding-edge concepts like composable KYC, autonomous credit markets, or tokenized central bank reserves.

«The milestones ahead aren’t just technical or regulatory, they’re also cultural»

It’s this overlap between regulated innovation and frontier experimentation that makes the space so interesting. The milestones ahead aren’t just technical or regulatory, they’re also cultural. It is about building trust, interoperability, and shared standards between two very different worlds.

Switzerland’s pragmatic stance has been a draw, yet EU MiCA and Basel crypto rules are tightening. How can projects balance compliance with the permissionless ethos they celebrate?

It’s not about choosing one over the other, it’s about designing systems that respect both. Switzerland has shown that a rules-based approach doesn’t have to kill innovation, and frameworks like MiCA are now forcing the rest of Europe to catch up.

The key for projects is modularity: building core infrastructure that can interact with regulated environments without compromising permissionless access elsewhere.

With venture funding down across crypto, which metrics, beyond TVL, are the VCs on stage now prioritising when backing DeFi and Web3 start-ups?

With the infrastructure and foundations of DeFi and Web3 already solidifying, VCs are now focusing on projects that have an unfair advantage in identifying real-world problems and delivering scalable solutions.

The emphasis is on the ability to execute, attract new users, and leverage existing audiences. Key metrics include user acquisition, retention, and real-world application. VCs are also looking for solid intellectual property (IP), process improvement capabilities, and the potential for enterprise sales.

The best opportunities will not only demonstrate strong tech but also prove they can solve problems, streamline processes, and build lasting partnerships with enterprises while improving user experiences and engagement.

FC Barcelona executives are also speaking a this year’s forum. Are tokenised fan-engagement models actually generating recurring revenue, or are they still novelty products?

That’s a good question, and the answer probably varies depending on the club and implementation. While early fan-token models created excitement, it’s still unclear how consistent or scalable the revenue streams are over time.

«It’s exactly this kind of crossover between utility and entertainment»

What’s more interesting is that sports organizations like FC Barcelona are increasingly exploring blockchain for deeper applications, particularly in data infrastructure.

Here too, I understand from the Scytale team that data analytics is becoming critical in sports, not just for player performance but for understanding and engaging global fan bases. Executives are now looking at blockchain to improve how data is stored, shared, and monetized across departments and partner ecosystems.

At the same time, we’re seeing innovative experiments like FIFA Rivals and NFL Rivals, blockchain-powered games by Mythical Games, which will also be showcased at the event. These aren’t about speculation, but about enhancing gameplay, fan identity, and digital ownership.

It’s exactly this kind of crossover between utility and entertainment that shows where the industry is headed.

What KPI would you like attendees to look back on in May 2026 and say, Decentralised Lugano 2025 moved the needle on that?

If there’s one KPI I’d like people to look back on and point to as a clear result of Decentralised Lugano 2025, it would be the number of meaningful collaborations or initiatives that were born at the event.

That could mean new projects funded, integrations with existing ecosystems like Polkadot, or even companies pivoting toward more decentralized models after conversations here.

We’re not just gathering to talk, we’re here to build. So, if in May 2026 we can look at a list of real outcomes and say, «These happened because of the connections, inspiration, or momentum that started in Lugano,» then we’ve succeeded.

Sascha Wullschleger has spent the past seven years at the private bank BIL Suisse, where he heads the Lugano branch as Head of Wealth Management. He is deeply committed to connecting entrepreneurs with the technology sector. Before joining BIL, he worked in Ticino for more than six years as a Senior Relationship Manager at Geneva-based Union Bancaire Privée and for roughly twelve years at the Dutch bank ABN Amro.