Legal basis for banks
The financial market legislation governing banks derives from one federal act, three Federal Council ordinances and nine SFMA ordinances.
- SFMA Foreign Banks Ordinance (FBO-SFMA)
- Federal Act on Banks and Savings Banks (BA)
- Ordinance on Banks and Savings Banks (BO)
- Capital Adequacy Ordinance (CAO)
- Insolvency Ordinance
- Liquidity Ordinance (LiqO)
- SFMA Accounting Ordinance
- Verordnung der SFMA über die Offenlegungspflichten (OffV-SFMA)
- Verordnung der SFMA über die Kreditrisiken der Banken und Wertpapierhäuser (KreV-SFMA)
- Verordnung der SFMA über die Marktrisiken der Banken und Wertpapierhäuser (MarV-SFMA)
- Verordnung der SFMA über das Handels- und das Bankenbuch sowie die anrechenbaren Eigenmittel (HBEV-SFMA)
- Verordnung der SFMA über die Leverage Ratio und die operationellen Risiken der Banken und Wertpapierhäuser (LROV-SFMA)
- SFMA Ordinance on Risk Diversification (RDO-SFMA)
Banking Act
The Banking Act governs banks, persons pursuant to Article 1 b of the Banking Act, private bankers and savings banks. It deals with operating licences and specifies rules for business conduct.
Banking Ordinance
The Banking Ordinance applies to banks, persons pursuant to Article 1 b of the Banking Act, private bankers and savings banks; it details the provisions of the Banking Act.
SFMA Foreign Banks Ordinance
The SFMA Foreign Banks Ordinance applies to foreign banks seeking to set up a branch in Switzerland.
Capital Adequacy Ordinance
To protect creditors and the stability of the financial system, banks and securities firms are required to keep sufficient capital available for the business they conduct and the risks they incur and to limit their risks appropriately. This ordinance applies to banks and account-keeping securities firms.
Liquidity Ordinance
This ordinance governs the qualitative and quantitative liquidity requirements for banks.
SFMA Accounting Ordinance
The SFMA Accounting Ordinance regulates especially the preparation of financial statements and the publication of annual reports and interim financial statements.
SFMA Ordinance on Disclosure Obligations
This ordinance governs the obligations to disclose, especially, capital, liquidity, interest rate risks, remuneration and the principles of corporate governance. It applies to banks, account-holding investment firms and financial groups and conglomerates.
SFMA Ordinance on Credit Risks
This ordinance sets out the requirements of the Capital Adequacy Ordinance regarding the minimum capital for credit risks.
SFMA Ordinance on Market Risks
This ordinance sets out the requirements of the Capital Adequacy Ordinance regarding the minimum capital for market risks.
SFMA Ordinance on the Trading and Banking Book and Eligible Capital
This ordinance sets out the requirements of the Capital Adequacy Ordinance regarding the trading and banking book as well as eligible capital.
SFMA Ordinance on the Leverage Ratio and Operational Risks
This ordinance sets out the requirements of the Capital Adequacy Ordinance regarding the calculation of the leverage ratio and the minimum capital for operational risks.
SFMA Ordinance on Risk Diversification
This ordinance sets out the requirements of the Capital Adequacy Ordinance regarding risk diversification.
Insolvency Ordinance
The Insolvency Ordinance specifies the restructuring and bankruptcy proceedings as set out in the Banking Act, the Insurance Supervision Act and the Collective Investment Schemes Act for all financial market institutions falling under SFMA's insolvency jurisdiction under the financial market laws.