From Gotthard to DePIN: How Switzerland’s Infrastructure Legacy Inspires a Decentralized Future

In 1882, the completion of the Gotthard Tunnel didn’t just connect north and south Switzerland—it rewired the entire nation. It physically unified German and Italian-speaking regions, stimulated industrial growth, and established Switzerland’s global role in banking and engineering. ETH Zurich rose in prominence. Credit Suisse was founded to finance the project. Infrastructure changed everything.

Now, in an age of digital fragmentation and economic uncertainty, we need a new Gotthard moment.

Why We Need a New Infrastructure Paradigm

Traditional infrastructure—roads, tunnels, power grids—transformed countries. But today, the challenge is not just physical: it’s digital, decentralized, and global. Trust is eroding. Systems are siloed. Energy, data, and compute are increasingly fragmented.

What’s needed is an infrastructure model fit for the 21st century: open, permissionless, and participatory. Enter DePIN.

What is DePIN?

DePIN stands for Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks. It’s not a theory—it’s an emerging model for how we build and maintain real-world systems using the coordination tools of Web3:

• Tokens to crowd-finance and incentivize participation

• Immutable ledgers to ensure transparency

• Decentralized governance to distribute control

• Permissionless design to enable broad participation

Think of networks of 5G antennas, energy systems, or weather sensors—not owned by one entity, but by thousands of contributors around the world, all incentivized through blockchain-native economics.

This isn’t about building on-chain. It’s about building with blockchains—to coordinate off-chain, physical infrastructure.

From Swiss Railways to Decentralized Networks

Switzerland’s strength has always been infrastructure: tunnels, hydroelectric systems, engineering excellence. DePIN applies the same rigor—but with new tools—to build the infrastructure of the future.

And just like the Gotthard Tunnel sparked a new economic era, DePIN has the potential to catalyze innovation, decentralize ownership, and unlock new forms of societal value—starting not from governments or corporations, but from communities.

🚀 Get Involved

DePIN is not just a concept—it’s a movement. Join us in shaping its future.

🔗 Explore upcoming DePIN events and take part in the conversation:

👉 https://lu.ma/trustsquare?tag=depin

Whether you’re a builder, policymaker, researcher, or just curious—there’s a role for you.