Blockstream has launched a consulting business for financial institutions and opened an office in Lugano, Switzerland. The expansion provides banks, asset managers and other institutions direct access to the firm's engineering teams and Bitcoin infrastructure.
Blockstream Consulting Services will support institutions through the evaluation, design and implementation of Bitcoin-based financial infrastructure. The business will develop solutions for tokenized asset issuance, confidential settlement and related infrastructure, with services spanning technical strategy, system architecture, integration and implementation.
The Lugano office will serve as a hub for Blockstream's European operations, supporting client relationships, strategic partnerships and collaboration with the region's financial and technology communities. From this location, the company plans to serve clients across Switzerland, including Zurich, Geneva and Zug.
Peter Bain, chief marketing officer of Blockstream, said: Switzerland is an important market for Blockstream given its longstanding banking tradition and supportive regulatory framework for digital assets. We look to provide regional expertise in markets where we see demand for Bitcoin infrastructure.
Founded in 2014, Blockstream develops technology and services across Bitcoin custody, settlement, payments, asset issuance and self-custody. Its products include the Liquid Network sidechain, Elements, Simplicity, Core Lightning, the Jade hardware wallet and the Blockstream App.
Adam Back, Blockstream's co-founder and CEO, said: The next phase of Bitcoin adoption is its integration into existing financial systems. Our extensive experience in Bitcoin cryptography, protocol development and engineering gives Blockstream the technical expertise to address the complexities of integrating Bitcoin into traditional financial infrastructure.
The consulting business draws on Blockstream's capabilities in cryptography, protocol engineering, security and financial technology. Multidisciplinary teams will provide institutions access to technical staff from initial evaluation through deployment.
The company framed the move as part of a long-term commitment to Switzerland and a broader strategy of building a presence in key markets to support institutional Bitcoin adoption. Switzerland has become a center for digital asset firms, with Zug's Crypto Valley and a regulatory framework that permits banks to hold and trade bitcoin on behalf of clients.
