Federal Council launches consultation for ordinances on the transparency of legal entities and combating money laundering and terrorist financing
Berne, 15.10.2025 — At its meeting on 15 October 2025, the Federal Council launched the consultation on draft legislation to combat money laundering. Under the proposed legislation details of the register of beneficial owners and the extension of the Anti-Money Laundering Act to cover certain consultancy activities will be defined at ordinance level. The consultation will last until 30 January 2026.
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 Ordinance on the Transparency of Legal Entities and the Identification of Beneficial Owners contains the implementing provisions to the AMLA. In particular, it stipulates which information must be collected and reported by companies. The Ordinance also defines certain terms in greater detail and sets out the procedure for reporting to the transparency register.
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. The associated amendment of the Anti-Money Laundering Ordinance further specifies the activities covered and their supervision. In addition, it provides details on the new rules to simplify the exchange of information between authorities.
Finally, other ordinances will be amended in light of the LETA. These include, in particular, the Ordinance on the Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland.
The proposed legislation is scheduled to enter into force in the second half of 2026. This ensures that these measures can be included in the next mutual evaluation of Switzerland by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).