Swiss SRO membership: who needs it, and how the file is prepared
In Switzerland, a financial intermediary that is not a bank must be supervised for anti-money-laundering purposes before it operates. For most, this means joining a self-regulatory organisation, an SRO. Here is what our pages record, and how we build the file.
Published on 3 November 2026 · Jason Pivron, director
The SRO: anti-money-laundering supervision
SRO membership is not a banking licence: it is supervision, under the anti-money-laundering act, of a financial activity that is not a bank. Our SRO affiliation and AML supervision is for non-bank financial activities eligible under the Swiss regime.
An activity that takes deposits from the public or needs its own authorisation follows another route: the FINMA banking licence, for example. The choice is made at scoping, before anything is filed.
Crypto activity
For a crypto-asset activity the same logic applies, with a file specific to that business. Our SRO affiliation for crypto activity covers anti-money-laundering supervision, organisation and the affiliation file.
A crypto activity serving clients in the European Union also falls under MiCA: the MiCA and CASP page gathers those authorisations.
What the file contains
The organisation checks that the intermediary can identify its clients, establish the beneficial owner, document the origin of funds and report what must be reported. The file therefore describes the activity, the organisation, the people responsible and the anti-money-laundering procedures.
- A description of the activity and its flows
- The organisation and the people responsible
- Identification and due diligence procedures
- Training and internal controls
Cost, timing, renewal
Both services are on request: the organisation's fee and requirements depend on the activity and its volume. The period of validity is not established by our review; it is checked for your file before the quote. The quote is firm before signature, government fees included.
If you do not yet have a structure in Switzerland, company formation in Switzerland and the registered office are built in the same file.
How we work
Everything starts with a free 20-minute call, then a firm quote before signature. We build the file, answer the organisation's questions and follow the decision, which belongs to it.
All our licences are on the licences page. Nothing here is legal advice: every activity is qualified case by case.
Frequently asked questions
Who must join an SRO in Switzerland?
A non-bank financial intermediary subject to the anti-money-laundering act, depending on its activity; this is qualified at scoping.
Does a crypto business in Switzerland need SRO membership?
Often, depending on the activity carried out: we build an affiliation file specific to crypto activity.
How much does SRO membership cost?
It is on request: the fee and requirements depend on the activity and its volume. The quote is firm before signature.
Is SRO membership a banking licence?
No: it is anti-money-laundering supervision. Taking deposits from the public requires a banking licence.