Swiss Post introduces crypto postage stamps

The Swiss Post is working to bridge the gap between physical stamps and the digital crypto industry by introducing tradable digital stamps.

On September 20, Swiss Post officially announced the upcoming launch of “Swiss Crypto Stamps”, a digital collection in conjunction with a physical postage stamp from Swiss Post valued at 8.9 francs.

The Swiss crypto stamp is a digital representation of a physical stamp and is stored in a blockchain. Shoppers can discover a digital copy of their physical stamp online via a QR code printed next to the physical stamp. The image of the cryptocurrency brand shows one of 13 possible designs and can be collected, exchanged and traded online, stated the Swiss Post.

The upcoming Swiss Post crypto postage stamp will appear to offer a similar experience to non-edible tokens (NFTs) as some postage stamps will feature rare designs.

“Some are more popular, others are much rarer and more sought-after. There are 65,000 copies of the most popular digital design, but only 50 of the rarest. It is clear that the Swiss crypto stamps that are to be collected, exchanged and traded have also been transferred to digital form, ”writes the Swiss Post.

The Swiss crypto postage stamp will be launched at the end of November, on November 25, 175,000 such postage stamps are to be delivered to selected post offices in Switzerland.

Related: First crypto fund approved in Switzerland

The Post did not immediately respond to Cointelegraph’s request for comment.

Switzerland isn’t the first country to experiment with blockchain technology to offer digital stamp collections. In May 2021, Austrian Post announced that it would be installing an NFC chip in Crypto Stamp 3.0, the third edition of the limited NFT stamp series. Austria issued its first crypto postage stamp in 2019.