FinTech licence

To boost innovative financial companies, the Swiss parliament has introduced the new FinTech licence – a licence with relaxed requirements. SFMA is responsible for granting this licence.

This SFMA page gives applicants and supervised institutions a practical view of the fintech licence topic. It explains when a licence, approval, notification or registration may be needed, what information should be prepared, and which changes may require contact with the authority.

Audits for institutions seeking authorisation

The review focuses on whether the applicant is organised in a way that is suitable for fintech licence within the FinTech area. SFMA will normally look at governance, financial resources, responsible persons, risk controls, compliance arrangements, auditability, outsourcing and whether the planned activity can be carried out without creating avoidable risks for clients, investors, policyholders or market integrity.

Preparing a complete file

Applicants should keep the submission concise but complete: describe the activity, legal structure, people responsible, control framework, financial resources, relevant documents and any cross-border elements. Where uncertainty remains, the issue should be highlighted early rather than left to emerge during review.