Switzerland has launched its first stay municipal blockchain challenge by means of a biodiversity reward voucher system constructed on the Hedera community and backed by a Swiss franc-linked digital fee instrument.
Based on an announcement shared with crypto.information by the Municipality of Muri bei Bern, the Canton of Bern municipality partnered with Swiss Web3 engineering agency The Hashgraph Group, blockchain developer Swisscoast, and digital transformation firm Apps with Like to roll out BIDI, a blockchain-based biodiversity voucher designed to reward residents for collaborating in conservation work.
Constructed on the Hedera distributed ledger community, the system points on-chain vouchers pegged to the Swiss franc for actions equivalent to meadow restoration, hedge upkeep, invasive plant removing, riparian restore work, and wetland conservation. Residents can redeem every BIDI voucher for 1 Swiss franc at collaborating native retailers and repair suppliers contained in the municipality.
Municipal authorities stated the initiative replaces a paper voucher program that had operated in Muri bei Bern for the previous eight years. By shifting the system on-chain, the challenge introduces digital verification and settlement infrastructure whereas retaining the prevailing neighborhood redemption mannequin intact.
Swisscoast developed the fee layer utilizing its HCHF digital Swiss franc stablecoin on Hedera, whereas The Hashgraph Group participated as ecosystem associate. The challenge additionally obtained backing from The Hashgraph Affiliation by means of its Enterprise Accelerator Program for enterprise and authorities blockchain functions.
Swiss municipalities check blockchain infrastructure
Coming after Switzerland opened consultations in late 2025 on a devoted stablecoin licensing regime underneath oversight from FINMA, the BIDI rollout provides one other instance of Swiss establishments experimenting with tokenized fee programs tied to public providers.
Underneath the proposed Swiss framework revealed final yr, stablecoin issuers can be required to keep up totally backed reserves, present redemption rights, and function underneath a devoted fee instrument license class. Officers on the time stated stablecoins may help tokenized asset markets and strengthen digital settlement infrastructure inside Switzerland’s monetary system.
On the municipal stage, BIDI now extends blockchain use past monetary providers into environmental applications and native commerce.
“We’re proud to supply BIDI, an present, trusted Swiss instrument, in collaboration with The Hashgraph Affiliation,” Swisscoast AG President Toni Caradonna stated. Caradonna added that the corporate beforehand labored with Hedera on one other challenge referred to as HLiquity and considered distributed ledger expertise as necessary for each innovation and conservation efforts.
Inside the similar announcement, Stefan Deiss, CEO and co-founder of The Hashgraph Group, stated tokenization was increasing past finance into public administration instruments equivalent to vouchers and reporting programs.
“Public-sector devices equivalent to vouchers, claims, and reporting tokens will change into verifiable, and BIDI demonstrates DLT credibility by means of provenance, not novelty,” Deiss stated.
Apps with Love CEO Stephan Klaus stated the challenge confirmed how digital merchandise may join ecological participation with native financial exercise whereas enhancing effectivity and verification processes.
Hedera, which promotes itself as a carbon-negative community by means of the acquisition of carbon offsets exceeding its power use, stated its governing council contains organizations centered on sustainability initiatives and environmental reporting.
Designed as a reusable framework, the BIDI infrastructure can reportedly be tailored for different Swiss municipalities inside weeks relatively than requiring lengthy deployment timelines. Municipal officers and challenge companions stated the construction may ultimately broaden to cities and areas outdoors Switzerland as European governments proceed testing blockchain-based public service programs.
