Western Europe · Country coverage

AML/CTF Compliance in Switzerland

Q: Who supervises AML/CTF in Switzerland?

FINMA is Switzerland's AML supervisor. It monitors banks, securities firms, insurers, and collective investment scheme institutions for compliance with the Anti-Money Laundering Act, while other financial intermediaries are supervised by a self-regulatory organisation recognised by FINMA, and portfolio managers and trustees by a supervisory organisation. MROS, the Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland, is separate: it is the Financial Intelligence Unit that receives and analyses suspicious activity reports and forwards them to law enforcement.

Q: Is Switzerland a member of FATF?

Yes. Switzerland is a member of the Financial Action Task Force and aligns its AML/CTF regime with the FATF 40 Recommendations.

Q: How does MemberCheck support AML compliance in Switzerland?

MemberCheck screens customers and entities against global sanctions, PEP, and adverse-media data, verifies identities, and monitors risk continuously, with an audit trail behind every decision.

Switzerland regulates AML/CTF through FINMA, MROS, and the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA). See the obligations and how MemberCheck supports them.

Last updated 17 August 2026

Talk to our team Book a demo

Screening coverage for Switzerland

Sanctions & PEP screening
Adverse media checks
Customer identity verification
Jurisdiction risk checks
Ongoing monitoring

AML supervisor / FIUFINMA as supervisor (with recognised SROs); MROS (Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland) as FIU

FATF statusFATF member

Primary legislationAnti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA/GwG, 1997)

Overview

AML/CTF compliance in Switzerland.

Switzerland supervises AML/CTF compliance through FINMA and the recognised self-regulatory organisations, while MROS, the Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland, receives and analyses suspicious activity reports and forwards them to law enforcement. The Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA/GwG), enacted in 1997, is the country's principal statute, and Switzerland aligns its regime with the FATF Recommendations as a FATF member.

Financial intermediaries must verify the identity of customers and beneficial owners, apply customer due diligence, keep records, and report suspicious activity to MROS. Supervisors expect a documented compliance framework, a named responsible person, and ongoing staff training.

MemberCheck helps teams meet these obligations by screening customers and entities against global sanctions, PEP, and adverse-media data, verifying identities, and monitoring risk continuously, with a clear audit trail behind every decision.

Regulation

Key laws and regulators.

All solutions →

MROS

The Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland is the country's Financial Intelligence Unit. It receives, analyses, and forwards suspicious activity reports to law enforcement.

Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA/GwG)

Enacted in 1997, the Anti-Money Laundering Act is Switzerland's principal AML statute, setting customer due diligence, record-keeping, and reporting duties for financial intermediaries.

FATF 40 Recommendations

As a FATF member, Switzerland aligns its regime with the international standards that shape expectations for financial institutions and designated businesses.

Risk-based supervision

Financial intermediaries operate under risk-based due diligence and reporting duties, with supervision by FINMA and recognised self-regulatory organisations.

Obligations

What regulated businesses must do.

Verify the identity of customers and beneficial owners
Apply customer due diligence on business relationships
Appoint a person responsible for AML/CTF compliance
Report suspicious activity to MROS
Maintain records and a documented internal compliance framework
Provide ongoing staff training

1,000+

Global watchlists screened

<1s

Average screening response

24h

Watchlist refresh cycle

195

Countries covered

FAQ

Common questions.

Who supervises AML/CTF in Switzerland?

FINMA is Switzerland's AML supervisor. It monitors banks, securities firms, insurers, and collective investment scheme institutions for compliance with the Anti-Money Laundering Act, while other financial intermediaries are supervised by a self-regulatory organisation recognised by FINMA, and portfolio managers and trustees by a supervisory organisation. MROS, the Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland, is separate: it is the Financial Intelligence Unit that receives and analyses suspicious activity reports and forwards them to law enforcement.

What is the main AML law in Switzerland?

The Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA/GwG), enacted in 1997, is Switzerland's principal AML statute, setting customer due diligence, record-keeping, and reporting obligations for financial intermediaries.

Is Switzerland a member of FATF?