Each year, the Avenir Suisse Freedom Index measures the cantons in which people enjoy the greatest degree of freedom. In 2020, Liechtenstein was also included in the evaluation for the first time. The principality secured top place at the first time of asking.

The Liechtenstein government has awarded the Liechtenstein Prize to three young researchers at the University of Liechtenstein. The authors of a dissertation, a research project and a publication shared the award between them equally.

Bank Linth is establishing a Customers business unit. With this move, the Liechtensteinische Landesbank subsidiary is seeking to focus more strongly on its client base. Luc Schuurmans will be tasked with managing the new department. At the same time, he has also been named Deputy CEO.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused the number of overnight stays in the 2020 summer season to fall below the previous year’s figure. Hotels in the Alps, however, saw a rise in the number of stays. The average duration of a guest’s stay also increased on the 2019 summer season.

The Future Foundation of Liechtensteinische Landesbank paid out a total of 85,000 Swiss francs in grants this year. With this money, 24 institutions involved in the field of social work were supported overall.

Hilcona and Eisberg are bringing their product sales together in Germany. Together, the fresh food specialists intend to offer a very wide range of products. Andreas Juhnke will be the new Managing Director of Hilcona Feinkost in Germany, joining from Eisberg.

From now on, electric trucks can be charged up with solar power directly at Liechtensteinische Post AG in Schaan. The charging station is fed by the post office’s own photovoltaic system. Numerous such decentralized e-charging stations could make a significant contribution to promoting electrically powered transport.

Standard & Poor's has again awarded its top rating of AAA and a stable outlook to Liechtenstein. The decision was based on the Principality’s stable budget, high financial reserves and positive income situation.

More participants were present for the tenth, and for the first time virtual, Investor Summit Liechtenstein than ever before. A total of eight start-ups presented their business models to around 400 investors, business angels and other interested parties from across the German-speaking region.

Bank Alpinum is gaining two experienced client advisers from LGT in Vienna and the Rietumu Bank in Riga. As a result, the Vaduz bank hopes to strengthen its business with high and ultra-high net worth individual clients in Eastern Europe.

Susana Gomes from Triesen will be studying at the University of Liechtenstein for free. Her participation in the Blockchain and FinTech certificate program will be funded by Bank Frick. The bank has been cooperating with the University of Liechtenstein in this area since 2019.

The Liechtenstein FinTech firm Crowdlitoken is launching its platform in Europe. This will allow European investors to acquire digital real estate bonds.

Liechtensteinische Landesbank (LLB) is in the process of updating its online banking platform. New and expanded functionalities will aim to improve the degree of user-friendliness for both private and institutional customers.

Hofladen Express supplies food from farmers and producers directly to private households in both Liechtenstein and Switzerland. The company is currently preparing for increased demand and accordingly expanding its capacities.

“Who is sustainable?” was the question at this year’s asset manager test by Fuchs | Richter Prüfinstanz. The winning country this year was Liechtenstein. The testers judged that it is the German-speaking financial center where sustainability is the most consistent.

The number of students at the University of Liechtenstein has increased on the previous year by 29 to 707. This is the highest number of students recorded since the university was founded. The university attributes this to its greater attractiveness in other countries.

Liechtenstein’s banking industry as well as the entire finance sector have survived the coronavirus crisis well to date. The Financial Stability Report by the Financial Market Authority shows that while client assets under management have fallen, profitability and capitalization have increased.

The University of Liechtenstein has received two awards for projects from the Erasmus+ program. One award was conferred for the development of training for managers in business process management. The other award was for two projects in further education mobility.

Around two-thirds of companies rate the current business situation as satisfactory as at the end of the third quarter of 2020. No fundamental changes are expected for the current quarter.

Hilcona will become the first company in Liechtenstein to use a lorry powered by hydrogen. The food manufacturer intends to reduce its carbon emissions as a result. Each year, these lorries enable carbon dioxide savings of up to 80 tons.