Switzerland · Licensing guide
Switzerland: Banking, FinTech Licence and DLT Rules
An overview of FINMA authorisation routes for fintech and blockchain businesses in Switzerland.
Last reviewed 23 Oct 2026 by the Fintech Headlines desk against the official sources listed below.
Supervisor
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) authorises and supervises banks, securities firms, financial market infrastructures and other financial institutions.
FinTech licence
Since 1 January 2019, Article 1b of the Banking Act provides a "FinTech licence" for institutions that accept public deposits of up to CHF 100 million (or crypto-assets held in collective custody) without investing them or paying interest on them. Requirements are lighter than for a full banking licence.
DLT legislation
The Federal Act on the Adaptation of Federal Law to Developments in Distributed Ledger Technology (the "DLT Act") entered fully into force on 1 August 2021. It introduced ledger-based securities and a new licence category for DLT trading facilities.
AML
Many crypto-asset activities are financial intermediation under the Anti-Money Laundering Act and require affiliation with a self-regulatory organisation or direct FINMA supervision. FINMA publishes guidance on stablecoins and on token classification.
Official sources
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm current requirements with the competent authority or qualified counsel.