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Licence types · Banking

Swiss FinTech licence

Swiss "banking licence light": public deposits up to CHF 100m, not invested and not interest-bearing.

Introduced in 2019 under Art. 1b of the Swiss Banking Act. It permits accepting public deposits up to CHF 100 million (FINMA may allow more in specific cases) provided they are neither invested nor bear interest. Lower capital and organisational requirements than a full bank, but still FINMA prudential supervision.

By jurisdiction

🇨🇭 Switzerland

Swiss FinTech licence (Art. 1b BankA)

Regulator
Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA)
Permitted activities
Acceptance of public deposits up to CHF 100 million; deposits may not be invested or bear interest. Crypto-based assets may also be held under this licence category.
Minimum capital
Minimum capital of 3% of public deposits accepted, but at least CHF 300,000 (Banking Ordinance Art. 17a).
Ownership, management & substance
Registered office and effective management in Switzerland; simplified organisation compared to banks.
Application procedure
Application to FINMA; FINMA guidelines for FinTech licence applications apply.
Government fees
Verification required
Indicative timeline
No reliable published estimate
Limitations
No lending with deposits, no interest; depositor protection scheme does not apply — clients must be informed.
Legal basis
Banking Act Art. 1b; Banking Ordinance Art. 14a ff.