Crypto Licensing

Switzerland Crypto Licensing (FINMA, DLT Act)

There is no single authorisation here: the framework is activity-based, so your economic function decides the route. We know that map and file it.

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Why Switzerland for Crypto Activity

Switzerland was one of the first countries to give digital assets a clear legal home, and it remains one of the most credible. FINMA published its token taxonomy in 2018, and the DLT Act, in force since 1 August 2021, created statutory ledger-based securities and a bespoke trading-venue licence. There is no single crypto licence: the framework is activity-based, so each business model maps to a specific authorisation by economic function. We know that map well, and we obtain the right authorisation for the operators we work with.

Expert Comment

Switzerland’s most credible path — ledger-based securities and bankruptcy-segregated custody under the DLT Act — requires CHF 1–5 million capital and 12–24 months: operators chasing premium reputation without substantial capital or runway will find Malta or Dubai’s lighter routes more realistic, even with lower perceived credibility.

Daniel Tomberg CEO & Senior Partner, Tomberg & Partners
In short: Switzerland suits tokenised-securities platforms, custodians and stablecoin issuers that want premium, non-EU regulatory credibility and the Crypto Valley ecosystem around Zug. It is not a single-licence, lightest-touch jurisdiction: the right route depends entirely on the activity, and the heavier routes carry real capital and substance requirements. We tell you straight which route fits before any money is spent.

Switzerland is one of the few jurisdictions where a security can be issued natively on a blockchain with full legal effect: ledger-based securities under Article 973d of the Code of Obligations transfer on the ledger itself, and the DLT Act’s segregation rules give clients a statutory claim to crypto assets in custody if the custodian fails. Around the canton of Zug sits Crypto Valley, the deepest cluster of crypto-specialist lawyers, auditors, banks and self-regulatory organisations in continental Europe, which means advisers and counterparties who actually understand the technology.

Tier-one reputation without MiCA overhead

Switzerland is a founding FATF member with clean list standing and a top-tier financial reputation, a real advantage when you need banking and counterparties to take you seriously. Because it sits outside the EU and the EEA, MiCA does not apply: there is no MiCA passport, but also none of MiCA’s harmonised compliance overhead. For operators whose customers are global or non-EU, that combination of credibility, mature supervision and an established digital-asset banking sector is often worth more than the EU passport. If your customers are predominantly EU-based, the missing passport is the decisive trade-off, and we will say so and point you to Malta or Cyprus instead.

Which Business Models Suit Switzerland

Switzerland rewards operators that value credibility, ecosystem and legal certainty over EU single-market reach. Before we take on a Swiss mandate, we are honest about whether it is the right home for your model. These are the profiles we deliver for here.

  • Tokenised-securities and RWA platforms. The DLT Act gives natively-issued ledger-based securities full legal effect, and the DLT trading facility licence lets you combine trading, custody and settlement on one infrastructure. If you tokenise bonds, shares or notes, Switzerland is among the strongest jurisdictions in the world for you.
  • Custodians and wallet providers. The DLT Act’s bankruptcy-segregation rules are a genuine selling point to institutional clients. We structure custody so your clients have a statutory claim to their assets if the worst happens.
  • Stablecoin and digital-asset issuers. Where holders have a redemption claim, issuance engages deposit-taking law and a FinTech or banking route. We classify the design and obtain the right authorisation, or structure a credit-institution guarantee.
  • Crypto exchanges and brokers without deposit-taking. Many exchange and brokerage models need only SRO/AML affiliation, not a FINMA licence. This is the fastest, lowest-cost route, and we run it end to end.
  • Operators who want premium, non-EU credibility. If your customers are global, APAC or Middle East, the Swiss banking and reputational advantage frequently outweighs the missing EU passport.
When Switzerland is not the answer: if your end customers are predominantly EU-based, you need MiCA passporting, which a Swiss authorisation cannot give you. In that case we obtain a CASP licence for you in Malta or Cyprus instead, with passporting across the 30 EEA states. We exclude US persons as clients; US-related content on this site is reference only.

Regulatory Framework

There is no single Swiss crypto statute. The regime is built from existing financial-market laws applied by economic function, plus the DLT Act of 2020, which amended ten federal acts to accommodate distributed ledger technology. The principal instruments are the Banking Act, FinIA, FinMIA, FinSA, AMLA and the Code of Obligations. FINMA is the supervisor; AML supervision of non-bank financial intermediaries runs through FINMA-recognised self-regulatory organisations.

In short: One supervisor (FINMA), but no single licence. The classification of the token (payment, utility or asset) and the activity (deposit-taking, trading-venue operation, custody, exchange, issuance) together determine the authorisation. Get the classification wrong and the whole route is wrong, which is why the first step we take for you is always a legal scoping against the FINMA token taxonomy.

The FINMA token taxonomy

FINMA’s ICO Guidelines of 16 February 2018 classify tokens by economic function into three types, with hybrids possible. Payment tokens (such as Bitcoin and Ether) are a means of payment or value transfer and are not securities. Utility tokens give digital access to an application or service and are not securities if that access works at issuance and there is no investment purpose. Asset tokens represent an asset, such as a debt or equity claim, are economically analogous to equities, bonds or derivatives, and are treated as securities. Classification turns on function and transferability, not labels.

Where the framework stands in 2026

The FinTech licence under Article 1b of the Banking Act took effect on 1 January 2019, creating a lighter deposit-taking authorisation. The DLT Act, adopted in 2020, entered into force in two stages: the ledger-based-securities provisions on 1 February 2021, and the remaining provisions, including the DLT trading facility licence, on 1 August 2021. FINMA licensed the first DLT trading facility, BX Digital, on 18 March 2025.

The framework is still moving, and we track it so you do not have to. The Federal Council’s consultation on replacing the FinTech licence with two new FINMA categories, a Payment Institution authorisation and a Crypto Institution authorisation, closed on 6 February 2026; entry into force is expected around 2027 with a transition period for existing licensees. FINMA has also tightened supervisory expectations through Guidance 06/2024 on stablecoins and Guidance 01/2026 on the custody of crypto assets. We build applications against where the rules are going, not just where they have been.

The regimes your model can engage

Because the framework is activity-based, most crypto businesses sit at the boundary of several regimes at once. Identifying which one is triggered, and whether more than one applies, is the central authorisation question: operating without the correct authorisation is unauthorised business and exposes the firm to FINMA enforcement.

  • Banking Act (deposit-taking). Accepting public deposits on a professional basis triggers banking or FinTech-licence law. Pooled custody where the firm controls the keys and the client has only a claim can engage the same rules; segregated, individually-attributable custody under the DLT Act is treated differently.
  • Financial Market Infrastructure Act (trading venues). Operating a multilateral venue for DLT securities triggers the DLT trading facility licence. Asset tokens are securities, so a venue listing them is in scope.
  • Financial Institutions Act and Financial Services Act (securities firms, conduct). Dealing in asset tokens as a securities firm, and offering tokens classified as securities to clients, brings in FinIA authorisation and FinSA conduct duties (prospectus, suitability, information).
  • Anti-Money Laundering Act (financial intermediaries). Exchange, brokerage, transfer and many custody activities are financial intermediation under AMLA. If no FINMA licence is otherwise required, the firm must affiliate with a recognised self-regulatory organisation and meet full AML due-diligence duties.

Tokenised real-world assets are regulated through securities law, not a separate crypto authorisation: issuing ledger-based securities needs no licence, while operating a venue for them requires a DLT trading facility authorisation. Where the tokenised asset is a fund interest, the fund regime applies, which we cover under fund licensing.

The Five Authorisation Routes

Switzerland offers five distinct routes, not one crypto licence, and the right one is chosen by activity and token type. We map your model to the route, and only the route, you actually need, so you are never paying for a heavier authorisation than the business requires.

In short: The lightest route, SRO affiliation under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, covers a large share of crypto businesses (exchange, brokerage, transfer and limited custody) and needs no FINMA licence at all. The moment the firm takes public deposits, runs a DLT-securities venue or deals in asset tokens, a FINMA authorisation is triggered and capital and substance requirements rise sharply.
RouteLegal basisTypical useMin. capital
SRO affiliation (AML only)Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA)Crypto-to-crypto exchange, brokerage, transfer, limited custody without deposit-takingNo fixed regulatory minimum
FinTech licenceBanking Act Art. 1bAccepting public deposits / crypto assets up to CHF 100m, not invested, no interestCHF 300,000 and 3% of deposits
Securities-firm licenceFinancial Institutions Act (FinIA)Dealing in, or market-making for, asset tokens (securities)CHF 1.5 million
DLT trading facilityFinMIA Arts. 73a ff (DLT Act)Multilateral venue for DLT securities, with custody/clearing/settlement and retail accessCHF 1m; CHF 5m with custody/settlement/clearing; small facility CHF 500,000
Banking licenceBanking ActDeposit-taking above the FinTech ceiling; crypto bankCHF 10 million (often higher in practice)

Some activities need no FINMA licence at all: issuing a pure payment or utility token without other regulated activity, non-custodial protocol-layer DeFi where no operator controls client assets, and crypto-to-crypto exchange without deposit-taking (SRO only). The recurring risk in Switzerland is not a prohibited activity but a mis-classified one, where the firm ends up operating under the wrong, or no, authorisation. Removing that risk is the first thing we do for you.

Requirements

Requirements vary by route, but every route shares a common base: a Swiss legal entity with its registered office and effective management in Switzerland, fit-and-proper management and owners, a built anti-money-laundering framework and capital appropriate to the activity. The FINMA-licensed routes add FINMA authorisation, an audit firm and route-specific organisational, governance and capital-adequacy duties.

In short: Capital is the clearest differentiator: nothing fixed on the SRO route, CHF 300,000 for a FinTech licence, CHF 1.5 million for a securities firm, CHF 0.5m–5m for a DLT trading facility, and CHF 10 million for a bank. Substance (a real Swiss entity and Swiss-resident management) and a working AML framework are required on every route. We assemble all of it for you.
RequirementSpecification
Entity typeSwiss company limited by shares (AG), limited liability company (GmbH), or (FinTech) corporation with unlimited partners
Registered officeRegistered office and effective business management in Switzerland (statutory on the licensed routes)
Foreign ownershipPermitted; qualified shareholders are subject to FINMA fit-and-proper review on the licensed routes
Minimum capitalSRO: none fixed. FinTech: CHF 300,000 and 3% of deposits. Securities firm: CHF 1.5m. DLT trading facility: CHF 0.5m–5m. Bank: CHF 10m
Local managementEffective management from Switzerland; fit-and-proper directors and senior managers; four-eyes governance on licensed routes
FINMA authorisationRequired for FinTech, securities-firm, DLT trading facility and banking routes; not required for the SRO/AML route
SRO affiliationMandatory for AMLA financial intermediaries not otherwise FINMA-supervised; ongoing membership and audit
Audit firmFINMA-approved regulatory audit (annual) for licensed institutions; SRO members audited by the SRO or its appointees
AML/CFT frameworkFull AMLA programme: KYC, beneficial-owner identification, transaction monitoring, clarification of high-risk transactions, 10-year recordkeeping, SAR reporting to MROS
Capital-adequacy / liquidityFull ordinances for banks and securities firms; FinTech licence is exempt from the Capital Adequacy and Liquidity Ordinances
Client-asset protectionDLT Act segregation for crypto assets in custody; FinTech deposits are not deposit-protected and clients must be told

Fit-and-proper, substance and AML

For every FINMA-licensed route, the institution and its qualified participants, directors and senior managers must provide a guarantee of irreproachable business conduct, the Swiss Gewähr standard. Qualified shareholders (typically those holding 10% or more) are reviewed, and changes of control require prior approval. The licensed routes also require effective management from Switzerland, not merely a registered address: Swiss-resident senior managers with real authority, a genuine office and board functions actually performed in Switzerland. The most common cause of delay is incomplete documentation, so we assemble the full fit-and-proper file, the AML programme and the substance before we file, not after a FINMA question round.

Under AMLA, crypto financial intermediaries owe the full due-diligence catalogue: KYC, beneficial-owner identification, ongoing transaction monitoring, clarification of high-risk transactions, recordkeeping for at least 10 years, and reporting suspicious activity to MROS. The FINMA AML Ordinance applies the Travel Rule with a CHF 1,000 de-minimis threshold for crypto transfers, and Switzerland applies notably strict expectations on transfers to and from unhosted wallets. We build this framework to the Swiss standard and your specific model.

How We Deliver It

The single most important step happens before any filing: classifying the activity and token correctly to choose the right route. We do that scoping first, confirm the route with FINMA or the chosen SRO where useful, then build and file a complete application and manage it to a decision. The SRO/AML route is an affiliation procedure and the fastest path; the FINMA-licensed routes follow a more demanding authorisation process.

In short: You get one accountable firm from scoping to authorisation. We classify, incorporate, build the compliance framework, file with FINMA or the SRO, answer the question rounds, and stand behind the outcome. SRO affiliation is fast; FINMA licences are not, and we set expectations honestly at the start.

Step 1 2–6 weeks

We classify the token (payment, utility, asset) and the activity against the FINMA taxonomy to fix the route, then incorporate the Swiss entity (AG or GmbH) with registered office and management in the right canton. Banking and SRO conversations begin in parallel so nothing waits.

Step 2 SRO 4–8 weeks; licence 2–4 months

Application assembly

For the SRO route we build the affiliation file: AML programme, designated compliance function and business description. For a FINMA licence we build the full application: business plan, three-year projections, capital plan, governance and organisational rules, AML framework, risk management and fit-and-proper documentation.

Step 3 SRO 2–4 months; licence 6–12+ months

Review and questions

The SRO assesses the affiliation and AML programme; FINMA reviews the licence application, typically with rounds of written questions. We handle the correspondence and the technical responses directly, so you are not translating regulator queries on your own.

Step 4 final stage

Decision and go-live

SRO affiliation is confirmed and you may operate as an AMLA financial intermediary. For FINMA licences, authorisation is granted, often subject to conditions such as capital confirmation and operational readiness, after which you commence regulated activity. We see you across the line and into ongoing compliance.

The compliance framework is the most time-intensive part of any FINMA route, and the leading cause of delay is templates adapted from other jurisdictions. FINMA expects materials tailored to the Swiss framework and the specific business model. We write to the Swiss standard from the outset, which is how we keep question rounds short.

Timeline

Timeline is a function of route, not a single regulatory clock. SRO affiliation, the most common path for exchanges and brokers, is the fastest; a DLT trading facility, securities-firm or full banking licence is a major project that commonly runs a year or more once preparation is included. Legal scoping and a complete, well-built application are the main levers on elapsed time, and both are squarely our job.

RoutePreparationReviewTotal (typical)
SRO affiliation (AML)2–6 weeks2–4 months~2–4 months
FinTech licence1–3 months~6–12 months~6–12 months
Securities-firm licence2–4 months~9–12+ months~12+ months
DLT trading facility3–6 months12+ months12–24 months
Banking licence3–6 months12+ months12–24+ months

The SRO route is a contractual affiliation assessed by the self-regulatory organisation, which is why it completes in months rather than the year-plus that FINMA authorisations require. FINMA licensed the first DLT trading facility in March 2025, four years after the category opened, which gives a sense of the build effort the most complex route demands. We give you a realistic timeline at scoping, not an optimistic one.

Taxation

Switzerland has no specific federal crypto tax regime; existing tax law applies, levied at federal, cantonal and communal levels, so the same activity can carry a very different effective rate depending on where the company and individuals are based. The headline advantage for individuals is that capital gains on private movable wealth, including crypto held as a private investment, are generally tax-free. We structure the canton of domicile around your model as part of the build.

TaxRateApplication to crypto activities
Corporate income tax (combined)~11.7%–21%Realised crypto gains are ordinary taxable profit; canton-dependent. Zug ~11.7%, federal element 8.5%
Private capital gains (individuals)0% (private movable wealth)Crypto held as private investment; lost if classified as a professional trader
Cantonal wealth tax (individuals)~0.1%–1% of net assetsCrypto holdings included; Nidwalden ~0.1%, Zug ~0.3%, Geneva ~1%
Income tax (staking, mining, salary in crypto)Progressive; canton-dependentStaking and mining rewards and crypto salary are taxable income
Value added taxExchange exemptExchanging payment tokens for fiat is VAT-exempt without credit; utility-token and platform services may be taxable depending on the underlying service
Withholding tax (dividends)35% (reclaimable under treaty)Swiss dividend withholding; reduced under double-tax treaties

All rates as of June 2026; cantonal practice varies. For a company, realised crypto gains are ordinary taxable profit at the combined rate: the federal element is a flat 8.5%, while the cantonal and communal layers vary widely, from roughly 11.7% combined in Zug to the low 20s in higher-tax cantons. Several cantons, Zug among them, will issue an advance tax ruling that confirms the treatment of a structure before launch, which we use to remove uncertainty. For individuals, the trade-off for the capital-gains exemption is an annual cantonal wealth tax on holdings and income tax on staking, mining and crypto salary; the exemption is lost if you are classified as a professional trader. Switzerland has also committed to the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), with the first international exchanges expected from 2027–2028.

Ongoing Compliance

Swiss authorisations and SRO affiliations are indefinite but supervised continuously. Every route carries ongoing AML duties, audit and reporting; the intensity scales with the route, and we can carry the obligations with you rather than leaving you on day one.

In short: Authorisation is the start of compliance, not the end. Plan for recurring AML audit and supervision every year, immediate reporting of suspicious activity to MROS, and prior FINMA approval for changes of control on the licensed routes. Ongoing cost is far lower on the SRO route than on the FINMA-licensed routes.

For FINMA-licensed institutions, ongoing obligations include an annual FINMA-approved regulatory audit, audited financial statements, regulatory reporting and supervision-fee payment; material changes to ownership, management, business model or IT must be notified, and changes of control require prior approval. For SRO members, an annual AML audit and reporting to the self-regulatory organisation apply. FINMA’s recent supervisory focus has been on stablecoin issuance and credit-institution guarantees, the custody and segregation of crypto assets, and AML controls on transfers involving unhosted wallets. The recurring enforcement theme in crypto is mis-classification leading to unauthorised activity, not a prohibited business line, which is precisely the risk our scoping removes at the start.

Banking

Banking access for Switzerland-connected crypto businesses is among the best in the world relative to the sector’s general difficulty, and it is one of our core services, coordinated alongside the licensing work. Switzerland has dedicated digital-asset banks and a wider banking sector with real experience of crypto clients. Onboarding is still demanding: a credit institution will want a built compliance framework, clear source of funds and wealth, and, on the licensed routes, evidence of FINMA authorisation or advanced application status.

We plan operating, settlement and (for stablecoins) custody banking together with the licence, not after it, because a licence without functioning banking is of little practical use. We open these conversations during application preparation and work only with institutions we know directly. Banking for licensed crypto operators →

What We Do for You

We are a direct service provider, not an introducer. We deliver Swiss crypto authorisation ourselves, through a controlled network of in-country lawyers, accountants and licensed specialists we work with directly, plus our own in-house work. Some elements are done in-house; the rest go to established Swiss specialists we have vetted and control. We never offload your file to an unverified third party, and you deal with one accountable firm from the first call to authorisation and beyond.

  • We classify the activity. The first deliverable is a clear classification of your token and activity against the FINMA taxonomy, and the route that follows from it. This is the step that prevents the most expensive error in Switzerland.
  • We form the company. We incorporate the Swiss AG or GmbH, arrange the registered office and effective management, and put the substance in place that the licensed routes require.
  • We build the application. Business plan, financial projections, capital plan, governance and organisational rules, the full AML and risk framework, and the fit-and-proper documentation, all written to the Swiss standard and your specific model.
  • We deal with FINMA and the SRO directly. We file the application, manage the question rounds and the correspondence, and carry the technical responses, so you are not negotiating with the regulator alone.
  • We coordinate banking. We open banking conversations in parallel with licensing and work only with credit institutions and EMIs we know directly, so authorisation and a working account land together.
  • We stand behind the outcome and the ongoing compliance. We see you across the line and can carry the annual audit, reporting and supervision obligations with you afterwards.

How Switzerland Compares

Switzerland sits in the premium non-EU cluster alongside Singapore and the UK: respected, well-supervised frameworks outside MiCA. Dubai joins that set as the tax-efficient Middle East and Asia base, while the natural EU comparator is Malta, which combines established-centre credibility with the MiCA passport Switzerland lacks. The defining trade-off is reputation and ecosystem against EU market access. We deliver in all of these, so we will recommend the one that actually fits your customers.

FactorSwitzerlandDubai (UAE)SingaporeUKMalta
FrameworkActivity-based; DLT Act + FinTech/SRO routesVARA VASP / ADGM FSP / DFSA Crypto TokenPayment Services Act (MAS)FCA registration regimeMiCA CASP
RegulatorFINMA / SROsVARA / ADGM FSRA / DFSAMASFCAMFSA
TimelineSRO ~2–4 mo; FINMA licence 6–12+ moVARA 4–12 mo; ADGM 6–18 mo~9–12 months~9–18 months~9–18 months
Min. CapitalFinTech CHF 300k; DLT venue CHF 0.5–5m; bank CHF 10mAED 100k–1.5m by activity (VARA)From SGD 250k by classNo fixed crypto-capital floor€50,000–€150,000
EU PassportingNoNoNoNoYes (MiCA)
FATF StatusClear (founding member)Clear (off grey list Feb 2024)ClearClearClear
Best ForTokenised securities, custody, stablecoins; premium non-EU baseMENA, Asia, and global non-EU markets; tax-efficient baseAPAC hub and institutional credibilityUK market and global credibilityEU passporting + established crypto market

For operators whose end customers are predominantly EU-based, the missing MiCA passport is structurally decisive: Malta and the other EU established centres provide direct passporting to the 30 EEA states via a single CASP authorisation. For global, APAC or Middle East customer bases, Switzerland’s ecosystem, banking depth and premium reputation often outweigh that gap, with the UAE a strong tax-efficient alternative. We obtain crypto authorisation in Malta, Cyprus and the UAE (Dubai) as well as Switzerland, so the recommendation we give you is the one that fits, not the one we happen to offer.

Frequently Asked Questions

The framework
Is there a single crypto licence in Switzerland?

No. Switzerland has no single, dedicated crypto licence. FINMA applies a technology-neutral, activity-based approach: the regulatory treatment depends on the economic function of the token and the activity performed. Depending on the business model, a firm may need a DLT trading facility licence under the Financial Market Infrastructure Act, a FinTech licence under Article 1b of the Banking Act, a full banking licence, a securities-firm licence under the Financial Institutions Act, or simply affiliation with a FINMA-recognised self-regulatory organisation for AML purposes. We start by classifying your exact activity, then we file the right route for you.

How does FINMA classify tokens?

FINMA’s ICO Guidelines of 16 February 2018 set out three categories by economic function. Payment tokens (such as Bitcoin and Ether) are a means of payment or value transfer and are not securities. Utility tokens give digital access to an application or service and are not securities if that access works at issuance and there is no investment purpose. Asset tokens represent an asset such as a debt or equity claim and are treated as securities. Hybrid tokens are possible. The classification turns on function and transferability, not labels, and getting it right is the first thing we do for you.

What is the Swiss FinTech licence?

The FinTech licence, in force since 1 January 2019 under Article 1b of the Banking Act, allows an institution to accept public deposits or crypto assets of up to CHF 100 million, provided they are not invested and no interest is paid on them. The licensee must be a Swiss company with its registered office and business activities in Switzerland. Minimum capital is at least CHF 300,000 and 3% of the public deposits held. FinTech licensees are exempt from the Capital Adequacy and Liquidity Ordinances; deposits are not deposit-protected and clients must be told. We prepare and file the application and manage FINMA through to authorisation.

How much capital do you need for a Swiss crypto licence?

It depends on the route. The SRO/AML route has no fixed regulatory capital minimum, though the entity still needs adequate operating funds. The FinTech licence requires at least CHF 300,000 and 3% of public deposits. A securities-firm licence requires CHF 1.5 million. A DLT trading facility requires CHF 1 million without custody, settlement or clearing and CHF 5 million with them, with a CHF 500,000 floor for small facilities. A full banking licence requires CHF 10 million, often more in practice.

Routes and process
Do crypto exchanges in Switzerland need a FINMA licence?

Not always. A pure crypto-to-crypto exchange or brokerage that does not take deposits, does not control client keys in a deposit-like way, and does not trade DLT securities is treated under the Anti-Money Laundering Act as a financial intermediary, which requires affiliation with a FINMA-recognised self-regulatory organisation rather than a FINMA licence. The moment the business accepts public deposits, issues stablecoins, holds client keys in a deposit-like way, or operates a trading venue for DLT securities, a FINMA authorisation is triggered. We scope your exact activity against the token taxonomy before anything is filed.

How long does Swiss crypto authorisation take?

It depends on the route. SRO affiliation under the Anti-Money Laundering Act typically takes around 2 to 4 months once the application is complete. A FinTech licence from FINMA typically takes around 6 to 12 months from a complete application. A DLT trading facility, securities-firm or full banking licence commonly takes 12 months or more, plus preparation. A complete business plan, a built AML framework and adequate capital are the main determinants of timeline, which is exactly what we assemble for you.

How are stablecoin issuers regulated in Switzerland?

Stablecoin issuance is treated by economic function, not by label. A fiat-backed stablecoin where holders have a redemption claim against the issuer generally engages deposit-taking law, so the issuer needs a FinTech or banking licence, or must structure the backing so that a credit institution provides a default guarantee. FINMA Guidance 06/2024 sets out the supervisory expectations for stablecoin projects and for the guaranteeing institutions, with emphasis on money-laundering, terrorist-financing and sanctions risk. We confirm the right route by classifying the specific stablecoin design before launch.

Tax and strategy
How is crypto taxed in Switzerland?

Switzerland has no specific federal crypto tax regime; existing tax law applies. For private individuals, capital gains on movable private wealth are generally tax-free, but holdings are subject to an annual cantonal wealth tax, and staking, mining and salary in crypto are taxed as income. For companies, realised crypto gains are ordinary taxable profit subject to corporate income tax at federal, cantonal and communal levels; combined effective rates range from roughly 11.7% in Zug to around 21% in higher-tax cantons. Cantonal practice varies, so we structure the canton of domicile around your model.

Can a Swiss-licensed crypto firm serve EU clients?

A Swiss authorisation does not grant EU market access or MiCA passporting. Switzerland is outside the EU and the EEA, and the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation has no third-country equivalence for crypto-asset service providers. MiCA Article 61 permits third-country firms to serve EU clients only on the client’s own exclusive initiative, read narrowly by ESMA. Operators seeking systematic EU market access should obtain a separate CASP authorisation in an EU member state, which we also deliver in Malta and Cyprus.

[Crypto Licensing

Malta CASP Licensing

An established EU crypto centre with MiCA passporting into all 30 EEA states, the EU market access Switzerland cannot provide. We deliver it.](/crypto-licensing/malta/) [Crypto Licensing

UAE (Dubai) Crypto Licensing

VARA and ADGM frameworks for a tax-efficient Middle East and Asia base, a strong alternative to a Swiss FINMA licence.](/crypto-licensing/dubai/) [Crypto Licensing

VASP, CASP and MiCA Licensing Overview

How VASP, CASP and MiCA fit together across jurisdictions, with a complete map of every regulated crypto-asset service.](/crypto-licensing/)

Considering Switzerland? Let's scope it.

Switzerland offers premium non-EU credibility but no MiCA passport. We obtain Swiss crypto authorisation directly, from classification and entity formation through the FINMA or SRO filing, banking and ongoing compliance, and we stand behind the outcome. If your customers are EU-based, we deliver a MiCA CASP licence in Malta or Cyprus instead. One free consultation maps the right route.

Banking & Payments

A company and a licence still need a bank account

Banking is one of our three core services. We help high-risk and regulated businesses open the bank and payment accounts that others refuse: we work directly with EU EMIs, payment institutions and crypto-aware banks, confirm appetite before you apply, and make the introduction. Take it with your company and licence, or on its own.

Explore banking & payments →

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