The idea
- Simple way to preserve wealth for everyone
- Direct ownership in Switzerland
- Bank-independent solution for self-custody
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More InformationThe timelessness of sound money
Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the USA, wrote in 1818: “Money, even debt, without a connection to resources or productive activities, is fictitious. Real capital, on the other hand, must always be backed by property.”
“This is exactly what the RealUnit does,” says founder Karl Reichmuth. He has achieved a lot in his 60-year career as a banker and now wants to give something back to society and pass on his experience.
This is especially important for savers trapped in the fiat money system, who have always been the big losers of creeping inflation in recent years. He is convinced that safeguarding assets against crises and preserving purchasing power is becoming an increasingly urgent matter for every single investor and saver.
Money backed by real assets - the idea of RealUnit
Sound money, i.e. money with a stable long-term value, can only be created if it is backed by assets that cannot be multiplied at will and is issued by private individuals. Karl and Remy Reichmuth first elaborated on this idea in their book “Der Real-Unit: Zur Quelle der Geldwertstabilität” in 2001. In it, the two authors posed the question of how a currency should best be structured, and in particular with which assets it should be backed in order to ensure its long-term value stability.
Why tangible assets form the foundation of the RealUnit
We believe that one of the main problems of our economic system is that the real economy and the financial or monetary system are decoupled from each other. The logical solution is therefore to bring the two back together.
Money must be anchored in real assets that have a connection to the real economy if its core functions are to be preserved in the long term and the current undesirable developments are to be rectified. Following the introduction of the euro, we gave a great deal of thought to sensible ways of backing a currency, until eventually the concept of the RealUnit emerged and crystallized. We came to the conclusion that an optimal currency should not be exclusively backed by gold, but also by productive capital goods that are important for the underlying economy.
The RealUnit is therefore based on the idea that a stable currency should be backed by capital goods that ideally move in step with the economy. The outcome would be: more stable money and smoother economic cycles – both in the interest of the general public.
The history of the RealUnit
The idea
Sound money, i.e. money that retains its value in the long term, can only be created if it is backed by assets that cannot be multiplied at will and is issued by private individuals. Karl and Remy Reichmuth first expounded on this idea in 2001 in their book “Der RealUnit: Zur Quelle der Geldwertstabilität”.
Read more about this in our blog article “The RealUnit® - the source of monetary stability”
To the blog article2001Pilot project
Karl Reichmuth implemented the RealUnit investment strategy for the first time in 2001 with part of his private assets over a period of seven years. After the 2008 financial crisis, the strategy was geared even more towards crisis resistance.2001 - 2008Formation of Swiss fund
Karl Reichmuth created a fund under Swiss law together with Vahan P. Roth in 2010. This enabled them to make the currency concept accessible to some friends and acquaintances interested in the basic idea, at least in terms of its “store of value” function.2010RealUnit fund
The legal requirements for fund vehicles prevented Karl Reichmuth and Vahan P. Roth from making long-term investments or acquiring direct ownership. However, concentrating on bankable assets distances the fund from the real economy and makes it more vulnerable in the event of a banking or currency crisis. This runs counter to the RealUnit's objective of “crisis resistance”.2010 - 2017Formation of investment company
In order to bring the legal structure in line with the original RealUnit concept, the two founders decided in 2017 to dissolve the fund and invest the capital in a new investment company, RealUnit Schweiz AG. Unlike most investment companies, the majority of our assets are liquid and can be traded within a very short time.
2017RealUnit Token
Like most crypto assets, the RealUnit token is an ERC-20 token on the tried-and-tested Ethereum blockchain. This means that our shareholders can already purchase and hold their shares in the form of tokens and store them in their own wallet outside the banking system.
2020Stock exchange listing
In April 2021, the Board of Directors of RealUnit Schweiz AG adopted a growth strategy, a central component of which was opening up the market to retail investors. Our shares have been listed on the BX Swiss since 29.11.2021 and can be traded without a minimum investment amount.2021Marketplace for share tokens
In June 2022, we became the first listed company in Switzerland to offer our share tokens on our online marketplace. In doing so, we created added value for people who want to store their shares on the blockchain independently of banks. The transfer of share tokens is also possible 24/7.
Read more2022Bank offers custody of RealUnit Tokens
Hypothekarbank Lenzburg is launched its crypto banking offering in October 2023 with the custody of our RealUnit tokens. Anyone who does not wish to hold their tokens themselves can now delegate this to a regulated Swiss bank.
Mehr dazu2023Expansion to Germany & Liechtenstein
On July 1, 2024, the Financial Market Authority of Liechtenstein (FMA) approved the securities prospectuses for traditional shares and share tokens. This approval allows, for the first time, share tokens of a Swiss publicly listed company to be purchased directly via blockchain in Germany and Liechtenstein.
Read more2024This is how the RealUnit is backed
Our broadly diversified investments in real assets increase resilience in crises and long-term value retention.
*stored outside the banking system in Switzerland
Balance as of 30.09.2024
3 reasons why you should invest in the RealUnit
Preservation of purchasing power
Real assets offer protection against inflation, increase stability and offer potential returns in line with Swiss economic growth (GDP).
Use our inflation calculator to work out how much you are personally affected by inflation – you’ll be amazed.
Protection of private property
Over 50% of assets are stored physically and outside the financial system - with the token, you are completely independent of banks.
Regain your financial sovereignty by having direct and unrestricted access to your assets at all times.
Crisis resistance
The defensive real value strategy has been tried and tested for over 20 years and has proven its resistance to crises many times over.
As the majority of investments is in gold, silver, cash or industrial metals you are afforded solid protection, especially in times of sharp corrections in the financial markets.
Testimonials
What successful CEOs, managing directors & entrepreneurs say about RealUnit
