Sergey Stopnevich isn’t founding companies to follow trends — he’s building them to last. With a background in finance and system design, and experience across the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Cyprus, he has always approached business with structure and longevity in mind.
Over the years, he has founded a number of regulated firms, including SwissZeit, Tria Bridge, and several under the Wise Wolves Group umbrella. For Stopnevich, compliance was never an afterthought — it was built in from the very beginning. All of his companies operate as regulated entities, with SwissZeit currently in the process of obtaining its FINMA licence.
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But his focus extends beyond the corporate world. Together with his wife Anastasia — his partner in life and in vision — he is building a family, a business, and a framework grounded in trust, consistency, and the kind of endurance you don’t learn in boardrooms.
That same endurance would be tested in a deeply personal way in 2015, when their daughter Maria urgently needed neurosurgery. Navigating the system as a parent, Stopnevich came face to face with what it truly means to fight for time. The experience became a turning point.
In 2016, he founded the Together Forever Foundation — a place where children and families can turn to when they need urgent, life-saving neurological care. Since then, the foundation has supported more than 120 children and raised over €2 million for treatment and rehabilitation.
Alongside business and charity, discipline has always been part of his DNA. Stopnevich has completed all six World Marathon Majors, trains for triathlons, and leads with the same mindset that carries him through every mile: focus, consistency, and purpose.
PURPOSE AND BEGINNINGS
Q: From engineering systems to founding financial firms — what first gave you a sense of purpose in finance?
My sense of purpose in finance didn’t arrive all at once — it evolved through experience.
I began with a foundation in system design and engineering, which gave me a strong appreciation for how structures work — how they can be built efficiently and, more importantly, how they can fail.
As I moved into banking and corporate finance, this technical mindset helped me navigate — and eventually shape — financial infrastructure, not just manage it.
My early treasury experience in the Netherlands, where I served as Head of Treasury, gave me deep exposure to the operational backbone of the industry — capital flows, compliance, risk. I later continued in executive roles in Luxembourg and Cyprus, eventually taking on CEO positions that allowed me to drive strategy and structure at a broader level.
But over time, I saw that many financial systems were more focused on sustaining themselves than serving people.
That realisation sparked something deeper: a drive to create platforms that solve real-world problems.
I wanted to make finance more transparent, more responsive, and more meaningful.
That’s when it stopped being just a career and started becoming a mission.
ENTREPRENEURIAL VISION
Q: You’ve built five regulated companies from scratch. What connects Wise Wolves Group, Tria Bridge, and SwissZeit — and what personal vision are they built to serve?
Since Wise Wolves Group is a group of three licensed entities under CySEC and the Central Bank of Cyprus supervision.
Each reflects a shared vision: responsible innovation backed by trust, compliance, and the ability to scale.
Each of the companies I’ve founded is part of one long-term vision: responsible innovation in finance.
Wise Wolves Group is a full-scope multi-service platform for corporate and investment needs.
Tria Bridge focuses on regulated digital assets, with transparency and ethical governance at the core of its operations.
SwissZeit, based in Crypto Valley in Switzerland, is centred on building robust infrastructure for digital asset security — from custody and staking to full-scale asset management and payments.
Together, they form a deliberate bridge between traditional finance and emerging technologies, while remaining firmly anchored in regulation.
REGULATION AND COMPLIANCE
Q: Many still believe that regulation kills innovation. From where you stand, why is that a myth?
The idea that regulation kills innovation is, frankly, a myth — and one I’ve seen disproven time and again throughout my career, from traditional banking to Web3.
In reality, strong regulation increases institutional confidence and attracts capital.
It creates legal clarity, which is essential not just for compliance, but for real, sustainable innovation.
Without clear rules, even the most promising ideas get lost in uncertainty — as we’ve seen with the fragmented responses to DeFi and NFTs.
Jurisdictions with robust frameworks consistently draw more serious players and investment.
For me, compliance isn’t a roadblock — it’s a foundation.
It allows businesses to scale responsibly, attract top talent, and build with a long-term vision.
Q: Another popular myth: that crypto regulation is just a power grab. How do you respond to that?
It’s a common misconception that crypto regulation is just a power grab — but that view ignores the real progress being made.
Frameworks like MiCA in the EU and progressive Swiss legislation don’t aim to destroy decentralisation — they aim to protect it, while raising the bar on transparency and accountability.
In practice, regulation builds bridges, not walls.
Without clear oversight, partnerships with banks, insurers, and payment networks simply aren’t possible, and the broader ecosystem remains out of reach.
Through Tria Bridge and SwissZeit, we’ve seen how structured engagement with regulators not only deepens trust but also creates an environment where innovation can scale safely and credibly.
Regulation isn’t about control — it’s about enabling responsible growth.
Q: Some argue that crypto doesn’t need oversight at all. Why do you see that as not just wrong, but dangerous?
The idea that the market can police itself is perhaps the most harmful myth in the digital asset space.
From Mt. Gox to FTX, the track record is clear: when regulation is absent, instability takes its place.
Each collapse doesn’t just wipe out funds — it erodes public trust and pushes responsible investors away.
Unregulated markets may excite early adopters, but they repel institutions and long-term partners.
As confirmed by research from the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, ecosystems with legal clarity grow more sustainably and suffer less criminal activity.
That’s why companies like Tria Bridge and SwissZeit design every process around security, transparency, and proactive compliance.
At the end of the day, clients don’t want empty promises — they want protection. Regulation, when implemented wisely, doesn’t limit innovation.
It enables it. It provides the foundation for trust, scalability, and responsible growth in a maturing market.
Q: You embraced compliance from the start — a step many postponed. Was that driven by principle or strategy?
For us, compliance was never an afterthought — it was part of the DNA from day one. We saw trust as a strategic asset, not a cost centre.
Engaging with regulators like CySEC and aligning with the standards set by authorities such as FINMA wasn’t just about checking boxes — it was a matter of principle.
When we launched SwissZeit in Switzerland, it was a deliberate move rooted in principle — we wanted to operate in a jurisdiction known for its stability, clear legal structures, and high standards.
The same applies to Tria Bridge, which operates under CySEC oversight in Cyprus.
That regulatory foundation allows us to engage confidently with banks, insurers, and institutional partners who expect a transparent, rules-based environment.
Integrity isn’t a slogan — it’s how you scale responsibly in a space where hype fades and only trust endures.
STRATEGIC JURISDICTIONS
Q: You’ve rooted your companies in both Cyprus and Switzerland. What made those two hubs central to your strategic vision?
The choice of Cyprus and Switzerland as key jurisdictions for our companies is not coincidental.
These countries offer not only outstanding business opportunities but also align with our strategy based on trust and regulatory compliance.
For us, this is not just a geographical choice, but a deliberate decision that reflects our global vision.
Cyprus is a regulated jurisdiction that provides flexibility in business operations and is strategically positioned between Europe and the Middle East region.
This makes the country a unique platform for international operations, especially in sectors like fintech and digital assets.
Cyprus offers a stable legal system that harmoniously blends regulation with growth and innovation opportunities.
For us, it became the foundation for building long-term, reliable business relationships with our clients.
Switzerland, on the other hand, is known for its unmatched credibility, legal clarity, and maturity in the crypto space.
The country attracts not only traditional investors but also those working in digital assets.
We view Switzerland as a hub for upholding the highest standards in regulation, financial security, and transparency.
There, we are building the infrastructure that combines cutting-edge technologies with strict compliance and safeguards against financial crimes.
Both of these jurisdictions reflect our core idea — trust at scale.
They offer stable legal frameworks that foster both innovation and adherence to essential regulatory standards.
This is important not only for us but for our clients, as they can be assured that their assets and rights are protected in all transactions.
Overall, our global strategy is grounded in local regulatory trust, compliance, and high standards.
We believe that the future of financial technologies is inherently tied to a responsible approach to law compliance and ensuring transparency at every level.
PURPOSE, FAMILY, AND LEGACY
Q: Let’s talk about purpose beyond business. The Together Forever Foundation came from something very personal — how did it change your idea of leadership?
At the end of 2015, I went through one of the most difficult moments of my life — my daughter, Masha, needed urgent brain surgery. We managed to find a clinic in Germany, where doctors performed two complex neurosurgical operations that brought her back to full life.
That experience changed everything for me. I had to walk the same path that so many other parents know too well — where time becomes your greatest enemy, and every moment is a battle between fear and hope. Having gone through every stage of that journey, I came to fully understand what families in crisis face.
It was then that I made a final decision — to create a foundation children and their families could turn to when they need urgent neurological care.
In 2016, I founded the Together Forever Foundation. Since then, it has supported more than 120 children and raised over €2 million for treatment and rehabilitation.
But this isn’t just about numbers. It’s about what purpose really means. I now see business and charity as two expressions of the same responsibility — to use what we build not only to grow, but to serve.
Purpose stopped being just a strategy. It became a legacy.
Q: How does your family life influence your professional work and business strategy?
My family is the cornerstone of everything I do — both personally and professionally. Alongside my wife Anastasia, who shares both my life and my vision, we are building a home and a business grounded in trust, integrity, and long-term purpose. Their support has been with me through every step of the journey — and continues to be.
Raising a large family has taught us the importance of leading by example, respecting individuality, and building an environment where freedom, openness, and support are central.
These same values define my approach to business strategy: empower people, trust the process, and stay committed to long-term goals.
Endurance sports have also played a significant role in shaping my mindset.
Completing all six World Marathon Majors and participating in triathlons taught me the value of discipline, resilience, and consistency — the same principles I apply in business every day.
Whether raising a family, training for a race, or growing a company, it’s about showing up with purpose, pushing forward, and never losing sight of the bigger picture.
Q: When you look back on all this in 20 years, what do you hope your legacy will be?
When I look back in 20 years, I’d like to see that we built something solid and honest — companies that grew without shortcuts and stayed true to their values.
I hope they’ll continue to stand as examples of how you can grow and adapt without compromising on trust and transparency.
I also hope my children will see our journey as a sign that you can build something meaningful by being consistent, thoughtful, and fair — and that this gives them confidence to follow their own path.
In the end, I’d like my legacy to reflect a way of building that’s thoughtful and lasting — creating businesses that people are proud to be part of, and a path my children can look to with respect, knowing it was built with care.
