Europe · CH
Switzerland
FINMA supervises banks, securities firms and fintech businesses under Swiss law; online casino games may only be offered by licensed Swiss casinos.
At a glance
- Status
- Non-EU state, outside the EEA
- Region
- Europe
- Regulated sectors
- PaymentsCryptoInvestment
- Authorities
- FINMA · ESBK · Gespa · MROS
- Licensing routes
- 3
Overview
The framework
Switzerland's financial regulation is highly developed: FINMA supervises banks, securities firms and fund managers, and Swiss law provides a fintech licence and a framework for distributed ledger technology. Switzerland is outside the EU and the EEA, so Swiss licences carry no EU passporting rights.
Financial intermediaries that are not prudentially supervised, including many crypto businesses, must be affiliated with a self-regulatory organisation recognised by FINMA for AML purposes; we assess whether your model needs a FINMA licence or SRO affiliation and prepare the application. Online casino games may only be offered by Swiss casinos holding an extended concession, and lotteries and sports betting are reserved to intercantonal operators.
Authorities
Who regulates what
- Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA)
- Banks, securities firms, fund managers, fintech and DLT licences.
- Federal Gaming Board (ESBK)
- Casinos, including online casino games under extended concessions.
- Intercantonal Gambling Supervisory Authority (Gespa)
- Lotteries, sports betting and skill games.
- Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS)
- Suspicious activity reporting.
Regimes
Licensing routes
Fintech licence
FINMA licence to accept public deposits up to a statutory threshold without investing them or paying interest.
Sectors: Payments
Securities firm licence
FINMA licence for professional dealing in securities.
Sectors: Investment
SRO affiliation
AML supervision of financial intermediaries through a FINMA-recognised self-regulatory organisation.
Sectors: Crypto · Payments
Our Regulatory & Licensing practice prepares the applications for these routes and manages them through to the regulator's decision.
Considerations
What to weigh up
- Assess access to EU clients separately; Swiss licences carry no EU passporting.
- FINMA's token classification guidance is the starting point for crypto-asset projects.
- Check gaming plans early: online gaming is restricted to Swiss casinos with extended concessions, and unlicensed offers are blocked.
This overview is general information, summarised at a high level. Requirements change and depend on the specific activity; seek advice on your circumstances before acting.
Industries
Relevant industries
- Fintech & PaymentsPayment and e-money institutions, PSPs and acquirers, payment facilitators and embedded finance.
- Crypto & Digital AssetsCASPs and VASPs, exchanges, custodians, wallets, token projects and crypto payments.
- Forex & InvestmentsForex and CFD brokers, investment firms, trading and investment platforms.
Across jurisdictions
Cross-jurisdiction capabilities
Services we support across the jurisdictions in our directory, described once on their own pages. We deliver each to the requirements that apply locally, coordinating local specialists where local law, registration, representation or professional requirements require it.
- Privacy & Data ProtectionExternal DPO services and working privacy programmes: GDPR and global privacy laws, DPIAs, data mapping, transfers and ISO/IEC 27701.
- Information Security & CybersecurityFractional CISO support, ISMS and security programmes, certification and audit readiness, DORA, NIS2 and customer assurance for enterprise sales.
- AI GovernanceGovernance that lets AI adoption scale: EU AI Act readiness, ISO/IEC 42001 management systems, AI risk and impact assessments, and vendor risk.
- AML & Financial Crime ComplianceAML/CFT programmes, MLRO-as-a-Service, independent AML/CFT audits, risk assessments, monitoring, sanctions and inspection support.
- IP Registration & ProtectionTrademark and patent registration, copyright, domain disputes and enforcement that protect your brand, software and content across markets.
- Legal OpinionsRegulatory, business model, perimeter, payment, gaming, crypto-asset and cross-border opinions that answer what banks and investors ask.
- Bank Account OpeningHelp organising your banking with banks and EMIs that fit your model, from the onboarding file and account structure to periodic reviews.
- Merchant Account / Acquiring SetupMerchant applications, acquiring structure and negotiated terms for online and high-risk merchants that need stable card and local payment acceptance.
Support
Switzerland: how we support your business
- Regulatory & LicensingStrategy, applications and regulator engagement for the payments, crypto and investment routes listed above.
- Corporate StructuringGroup architecture, incorporation, substance and governance built around your licences, banking and investors.
- Market Entry & Regulatory StrategyMarket prioritisation, regulatory roadmaps and launch readiness that let you expand into new jurisdictions in the right order.
Switzerland: the right fit for your business?
We look at your product, target clients and banking needs to see whether this jurisdiction fits or another would serve you better, then send a written proposal with scope, timetable and fee.