Anti-Money Laundering
Illegal financial flows undermine a financial sector's integrity. They prevent sustainable growth and fuel crime, terrorism and corruption at home and abroad. It is thus crucial for Switzerland to keep its financial centre clean and to consistently protect it from abuse.
Current bill
On 26 September 2025, Parliament passed the Federal Act on the Transparency of Legal Entities and the Identification of Beneficial Owners (LETA) and the revised Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA). The aim is to strengthen the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing.
The LETA introduces new requirements for legal entities and creates a centralised federal register of beneficial owners (transparency register). This register is intended to provide certain authorities with swift and uncomplicated access to reliable information about the beneficial owners of a legal entity. It will be maintained by the Federal Department of Justice and Police. An audit unit at the Federal Department of Finance will carry out checks on the accuracy, completeness and topicality of the information in the transparency register. The register will be accessible to certain authorities, and people and entities who are subject to the AMLA.
The partial revision of the AMLA extends the scope of the Act. Certain consultancy services are now covered by the Act, such as those related to real estate transactions or the establishment and structure of legal entities.
Further information
22.05.2024
Federal Council adopts dispatch on strengthening anti-money laundering framework
Retrospective
The Anti-Money Laundering Act had already been revised a few years ago, as Parliament adopted the amendment to the Anti-Money Laundering Act on 19 March 2021. This revision sought to implement some of the most important recommendations from the Financial Action Task Force's mutual evaluation report of 2016 and to strengthen Switzerland's defence mechanism.
The revision provided for measures for financial intermediaries in the areas of beneficial ownership, updating of client data and suspicious activity reports concerning money laundering. Moreover, it promoted the transparency of associations and strengthened supervision and controls for precious metals. The revised Anti-Money Laundering Act entered into force on 1 January 2023.
Amendment of the Anti-Money Laundering Act (bill that entered into force)