Behind a Swiss Blockchain Foundation is a “Business Operator”

In this article, the authors examine the Swiss Federal Tax Authorities’ recent position that blockchain foundations, despite their non-profit legal status, qualify as business operators for VAT purposes due to their entrepreneurial activities. The authors analyse the implications of this interpretation under Swiss VAT law and argue that similar conclusions are likely to be applicable within the EU VAT framework as well, thereby further corroborating their view that the activities of Swiss blockchain foundations are entrepreneurial in nature.