Financial market regulation
The financial markets are among the most heavily regulated sectors of the economy. The most important goals of financial market regulation are protection of the individual (protection of creditors, investors and insured persons), system stability and properly functioning financial markets. Financial market regulation thus helps to strengthen the reputation, competitiveness and future viability of the Swiss financial centre.
Through the increasing cross-border integration of financial markets, international standards have a substantial impact on financial market regulation. Switzerland is actively involved in the corresponding international bodies that draw up these standards. If the same cross-border rules apply to everyone, this ultimately strengthens the competitiveness of the Swiss financial centre.
Regulatory projects
The SIF is responsible, among other things, for drafting legislation in the area of financial market regulation and, as a result, is in charge of various regulatory projects in the area of financial markets. These activities also serve to implement the financial market policy of the Federal Council. The subject of a regulatory project can be the enactment or amendment of a federal law, an ordinance of the Federal Council or an ordinance of the Federal Department of Finance (FDF).
Optimising financial market regulation
In the summer of 2026, the FDF began work to identify potential for optimising financial market regulation. The aim is to review and streamline Swiss financial market regulation and the supervisory framework with a view to reducing the administrative burden and eliminating duplications. The aspects of stability, integrity, client protection and well-functioning markets will be safeguarded. The aim is to ensure that the Swiss financial centre is regulated in a manner that is both risk-appropriate and efficient, and provides a optimised framework for growth and competition.
Numerous reforms to financial market legislation have been implemented in Switzerland in recent years. To date, there has been no systematic review of the financial market regulatory framework as a whole. This work forms part of global efforts to modernise and optimise national and international financial market regulations, which are also being discussed in international expert bodies, in particular the Financial Stability Board (FSB).
An external working group was set up to support the work (press release of 1 July 2026). In the first phase, the working group will develop the groundwork (by autumn 2026). It will then consult the industry and stakeholders (by early 2027), before discussing the topic areas with the relevant authorities (by the second quarter of 2027). The working group's findings are expected in summer 2027. These will then be incorporated into the FDF's report, which is to be submitted to the Federal Council by the end of 2027, together with recommendations for follow-up work.