Olga Feldmeier, founder of Smart Valor, is redirecting her Zug-based company toward AI innovation. Meanwhile, her Liechtenstein subsidiary has attracted global interest from investors, with key decisions expected soon.

Sale, Stake, or Strategic Partnership? All options are on the table for Olga Feldmeier.

The owner of Zug-based Smart Valor has confirmed significant changes for its Liechtenstein subsidiary. «We are seeking strategic investors or buyers because we want to concentrate on the AI business moving forward,» Feldmeier told finews.ch.

U.S. Investment Bank Secures Mandate

Smart Valor is actively investing in its AI-powered crypto investment agent, ELANN.AI, which the company sees as a major growth driver for the future. To support these efforts, Feldmeier has enlisted the services of a U.S.-based investment bank.

Advantageous Timing With MiCAR Licenses

The timing for this move couldn’t be better. Starting February 1, Liechtenstein will issue so-called MiCAR licenses, granting companies access to the newly regulated European crypto market.

Since 2019, Smart Valor Liechtenstein has operated a crypto exchange that was the first of its kind in the Switzerland-Liechtenstein region. In 2020, the company obtained a crypto license under Liechtenstein’s TVTG framework, as reported by finews.ch.

SBB Among Clients

Through its Liechtenstein subsidiary, Smart Valor runs an order-book-based trading platform for retail clients with functionalities akin to Coinbase—offering trading, brokerage, custody, and staking services.

Its second customer segment involves B2B solutions such as white-label brokerage and trading services for banks and exchanges. According to Feldmeier, Smart Valor is the only Swiss company with FINMA-approved crypto trading technology for banks. In 2022, Swiss bank Dukascopy became the first customer authorized to offer crypto services through Smart Valor.

The third segment is an API-based solution enabling merchants to buy and sell cryptocurrencies. Notable clients include the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and Sweepay. Bitcoin purchases at SBB ticket machines also run through Smart Valor’s trading platform.

Interest From Asia, U.S., and the Middle East

«We have continuously improved our platform over the past two years, and it is performing exceptionally well. We can onboard new large-scale clients to our network in a very short time,» says Feldmeier.

However, costs remain a challenge. Maintaining such a platform is resource-intensive and ties up financial capital. This is why Smart Valor is seeking investors. Due to high demand, the closing process has been delayed.

Interest has been strong, with inquiries coming from Asia, the U.S., and the Middle East. »We have not received any offers from EU or Swiss investors, which surprises me,» Feldmeier notes.

A decision is expected in the coming weeks. «We are not under time pressure. We are looking for the best possible solution,» Feldmeier concludes.