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DSFIs

Under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA), financial intermediaries in the non-banking sector that are not affiliated to a self-regulatory organisation (SRO) require a licence from FINMA in order to conduct their activities. Financial intermediaries in the non-banking sector are persons who on a professional basis accept or hold on deposit assets belonging to others or who assist in the investment or transfer of such assets. The AMLA also cites as examples of financial intermediaries requiring a licence persons who engage in various activities and services such as credit transactions, services related to payment transactions, trade in banknotes and coins, foreign exchange, precious metals, commodities and in their derivatives, asset management, investments made as investment advisors and the holding on deposit and management of securities.

A number of guidelines and forms are available to help clarify the scope of supervision under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, prepare licence applications and reports for the Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS) in the event of suspected money laundering or terrorist financing and implement efficient working practices.


Clarification of subordination under the Anti-Money Laundering Act

  • FINMA-Circular 2011/1 - "Financial intermediation under AMLA" (in German, French and Italian) 

Guidelines for licence applications for directly subordinated financial intermeiaries (DSFIs) and related declarations

  • Financial intermediaries under Art. 2 para. 3 AMLA (in German); List of information and documents that a financial intermediary must enclose with its licence application so that the conditions for granting a licence can be checked
  • Declaration of pending and closed proceedings (in German)
  • Declaration of qualified participations (in German)
  • Declaration of other mandates (in German)
The financial intermediaries directly subordinated to FINMA as defined in Article 2 paragraph 3 AMLA (Anti Money Laundering Act) have to be audited periodically by an authorized auditing company.

Reporting to the Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS)

  • Reporting form in the event of suspected money laundering or terrorist financing

Supervisory fees 2013