FAQ – Frequently asked questions about the RealUnit

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about the RealUnit

The RealUnit is an investment option for those seeking long-term value preservation with increased crisis resistance. It is predominantly backed by real assets, such as precious metals and investments in companies with strong balance sheets and sustainable earnings. At least half of the invested assets are held physically and securely outside the banking system in Switzerland. As an investor you are a shareholder and therefore co-owner of the incorporated company RealUnit Schweiz AG.

You can find more information here: realunit.ch/loesung-realunit

RealUnit Schweiz AG is an independent investment company which invests in real assets in a broadly diversified manner. The Swiss public incorporated company was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Baar (ZG). We pursue the goal of replicating Switzerland’s economic growth over the long term and protecting the investments entrusted to us against crises and against the loss of purchasing power. For more information, please visit: realunit.ch/vision-values

The RealUnit is backed by return-oriented and tangible real assets. At least half of the invested assets are held physically and securely outside the banking system in Switzerland. Our goal is to provide increased crisis resistance, long term stability and protection against the loss of purchasing power due to inflation or during economic and financial crises. For more information, please visit: realunit.ch/loesung-realunit/.

In its initial phase, the RealUnit was structured as an investment fund (see history). We decided on the current form of the investment company in order to be able to invest increasingly in assets outside the banking system. Funds have to adhere strictly to the predefined bandwidths per asset class and can therefore hardly react to strong market distortions in a crisis. As an investment company, we can adjust our investment strategy in accordance with our investment guidelines,more flexibly and efficiently with the aim of better protecting the capital entrusted to us in a crisis.

  • Over 50% of total assets are held outside the banking system in high-security vaults, which we believe can better ensure crisis resilience and asset protection.
  • Our precious metals can be physically stored in Switzerland, unlike an investment fund. This eliminates the issuer risk of a precious metal certificate, and access to precious metals is more likely to be available even in the event of a crisis.
  • The same applies for our cash holdings. This means that we are not dependent on the banking system, which enables us to better ensure access to our cash in times of crisis.
  • We can sharply reduce our equity holdings in the event of market distortions, or increase them to max. 50% and also hedge against falling prices if required. Investment funds, on the other hand, must strictly adhere to specific asset allocation limits and are thus much less flexible, especially in a crisis.
  • You have the freedom to choose between traditional RealUnit stocks and RealUnit stock tokens on the Ethereum blockchain. Stock tokens can be stored outside the banking system. By using your own wallet, access is usually independent of third parties (analogous to cryptocurrencies).
  • As a shareholder, you have voting rights at the annual general assembly, which you do not have with an investment fund.

The current key figures on returns and volatility can be found in our factsheet at realunit.ch/downloads. However, past performance is no guarantee of future performance. Our goal is to outperform the Swiss gross domestic product (GDP), in order to maintain the purchasing power of our shareholders’ invested capital over the long term.

We do not charge any fees. The running costs are offset against the return on the RealUnit. Our medium-term cost target is approximately 1.20% p.a. When buying or selling shares of the company via your bank, one-time transaction fees are incurred and the amount depends on the bank. Details on our cost structure can be found in our financial statements, which we publish semi-annually at realunit.ch/downloads.

As a general rule, you should not make investments with capital that you will need for other purposes in the next 3 to 5 years. An investment in the RealUnit is therefore suitable for investors with a longer investment horizon.

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about RealUnit investment options

We have clear investment guidelines that specifically prohibit speculation with the capital entrusted to us. Under the following link you will find our investment guidelines: realunit.ch/share/

Part of our porfolio is allocated to precious metals and cash physically stored in Switzerland, while we also have positions in solid companies with a crisis-resistant business model and stable dividends. Our current allocation can be found here: realunit.ch/share/

In the future, the company may also, for example, invest in real estate and other real assets in accordance with the investment guidelines.

They are stored in various storage facilities in Switzerland. These high security vaults and bunkers are operated by specialized companies. All assets are 100% insured, in accordance with statutory provisions.

Our auditors, Balmer Etienne AG, periodically inspect our physical precious metal holdings, and verify their authenticity through random sampling.

Firstly, by choosing physical storage, we do not pay negative interest rates. Secondly, this allows us to have access to our cash even in the event of a crisis and in such a scenario we would be less affected by measures like capital controls, for example.

The Board of Directors of RealUnit Schweiz AG issues the investment guidelines and defines the benchmarks therein. The Investment Committee, composed of Fidelis Götz (Chairman), Dani Stüssi (CEO) and Vahan Roth (CIO), meets at least once per quarter and determines the asset allocation. The committee is advised by a large number of external specialists, whose summary CVs can be found at realunit.ch/team. Individual stock selection is delegated to the CIO, who reports purchases and sales to the Investment Committee.

Further information on corporate governance can be found at: realunit.ch/share.

We focus on companies with a solid balance sheet and a reasonable valuation. The business model should also be highly crisis-resistant and the company should pursue a stable, long-term-oriented dividend policy.

Theoretically, the company can invest in any asset class. However, there are the following restrictions based on our investment guidelines:

  • always more than 50% of assets must be outside the banking system;
  • always over 60% of the portfolio must be allocated to real assets;
  • max. 50% in one asset class;
  • no more than 30% should be invested outside of Switzerland.

Our investment guidelines can be found at: realunit.ch/downloads.

As a company, we strive to consume as few resources as possible. In addition, our goal is to invest in companies with sustainable business models. We apply NORGES Bank’s exclusion criteria in relation to ESG guidelines: https://www.nbim.no/en/the-fund/responsible-investment/exclusion-of-companies.

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Questions for shareholders

The RealUnit share price is updated daily in your custody account at your bank. With various Internet service providers, it is also displayed under the following details: ISIN: CH1129911108 / security no.: 112991110 / ticker: REALU

Please inform your bank that you would like to receive the invitation to the Annual General Meeting of RealUnit Switzerland AG in the future. Unfortunately, bearer shareholders will no longer receive this invitation automatically. Token holders will receive their invitation directly from us by mail. Additionally, subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated about our events and other developments regarding the RealUnit. 

An automated conversion process does not currently exist. Please contact us via the contact form if you are interested in a conversion.

We publish an updated factsheet and our market commentary the “Fairwater Report” on a quarterly basis. We publish our financial statements semiannually and annually. All these documents can be found at realunit.ch/downloads.

You can also subscribe to our newsletter “RealUnit Update” to receive all news about the RealUnit via e-mail. 

We appreciate your active recommendation in your circle of acquaintances. We plan to hold various regional events in 2022. If you are interested in supporting us in your region, we would be pleased to hear from you (go to the contact form). You will also receive an invitation to our Annual General Assembly each year, where you can personally participate in shaping the future of RealUnit Schweiz AG.

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about buying RealUnit shares

The bearer shares of RealUnit Schweiz AG are listed on the BX Swiss AG stock exchange and can be bought and traded there (ISIN: CH1129911108 / Valoren no.: 112991110 / ticker: REALU).

Here you will find a guide to purchasing RealUnit shares.

We work together with a Swiss bank, which operates as a so-called “market maker” for us. This is how liquidity is made available on the stock exchange. For larger investment amounts (100’000 CHF or more) we recommend that you contact us directly.

You can sell your RealUnit shares via online banking or via telephone order to your bank. The current equivalent value in Swiss francs will then be credited to your bank account.

You can hold your bearer shares in a custody account at a Swiss bank. Alternatively, it is possible to store registered shares in the form of share tokens independently in a wallet on the Ethereum Blockchain.

There are no restrictions on the purchase of RealUnit shares. Here you will find the guide to RealUnit share purchases.

There are no requirements for minimum investments. Consult your financial advisor on the amount of the investment you plan to make.

There are no limitations. If you are planning to make an investment over CHF 100,000, please contact us for a direct placement.

If you hold 3% or more of the voting rights in the Company, either alone or in concert with third parties, you are required under Swiss law to notify us and the BX Swiss AG stock exchange of your share acquisition. This reporting obligation is based on Article 120 of the Financial Market Infrastructure Act. To notify us, please use our contact form.

RealUnit Schweiz AG issues both bearer shares and registered shares. The reason for this is to make bearer shares available as conventional securities on the traditional financial system and registered shares available as registered securities (share tokens) via the public Ethereum Blockchain.

You can find a list of the differences on the following page: https://realunit.ch/en/buy-realunit/

“NAV” stands for “net asset value”. The net asset value is also called intrinsic value and it is the sum of assets minus liabilities.

The “NAV” reflects the actual value of the assets of our company. Although the share price is based on the “NAV”, it can be higher or lower than the “NAV” depending on the market situation on the stock exchange (supply and demand).

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about the RealUnit token

The term “token” refers to a unit on the blockchain. Our share tokens represent RealUnit shares registered on the Ethereum Blockchain. As a holder of RealUnit share tokens, you have the same rights as a holder of traditional shares.

  • Accessible at any time, independently of banks
  • No costs for custody when stored in your own wallet
  • Tradable 24/7
  • Transferable from wallet to wallet
  • Simple online registration for entry in the share register
  • High security thanks to the Ethereum blockchain and the recovery function
    in case of loss of the private key

For more information on share token security, please read the RealUnit Registration Agreement, available at: https://realunit.ch/downloads/#registrierungsvereinbarung

No, because the issuer of the tokens, RealUnit Schweiz AG, is a central issuer. The term “cryptocurrency” refers to digital assets that are held in a decentralized database, usually a blockchain, and have no central issuer.

No, not in principle. The price of the share token is based on the intrinsic value (the Net Asset Value or NAV) of RealUnit Schweiz AG. We currently hold a position of <1% in ETH, which has a minimal impact on the NAV.

According to experts, the Ethereum blockchain is a very secure decentralized network. When you create your own wallet, you will receive a private key. This is comparable to the password for your online banking. However, if someone steals your private key, they will have access to your wallet. Likewise, if you lose your private key, you will no longer be able to access your wallet. Blockchain experts recommend using hardware wallets such as those from “Ledger”(https://www.ledger.com/de) or “Bitbox”(https://shiftcrypto.ch/de/) for the secure storage of larger sums.

The acquisition or sale of share tokens is typically associated with blockchain transaction costs (esp. gas fee on Ethereum), which are generally borne by the acquirer or the seller.

The amount of the gas fee on Ethereum can fluctuate greatly depending on how busy the blockchain is at the time (the current gas fee can be seen here ). Before confirming the transaction, your Wallet should also show you an estimate of the gas fee you are likely to be charged. If the gas fee is too high, we recommend that you execute the transaction at a later date.

No, direct conversion is not possible. However, you can sell your shares on the stock exchange and buy share tokens for the equivalent value in CHF via our automated trading platform at https://realunit.ch/realunit-kaufen/#brokerbot.

The counterparty is RealUnit Schweiz AG. If you wish to trade share tokens worth more than

CHF 100’000.-, please contact us in advance via info@realunit.ch or by telephone. +41 41 761 00 90.

RealUnit tokens can be stored in an Ethereum-enabled wallet. See the following link (https://realunit.ch/realunit-kaufen/#token) for instructions on how to set up a wallet.

Yes, the tokenized RealUnit shares must be declared as assets in the tax return. Any capital gains are generally tax-free for private individuals in Switzerland. More detailed information on taxation can be found here, in FTA Circular No. 36.