Prudential / Capital Requirements regulatory updates from Switzerland.
We track 36 Prudential / Capital Requirements updates from Switzerland regulators, published by FINMA. The archive covers 30 news items, 2 consultations and 2 guidance notes. Most recent update: September 2026. Coverage runs from 2025 to 2026.
This is a keynote address from FINMA's CEO at the Small Bank Symposium outlining supervisory philosophy and practice. It provides substantive regulatory signals on how proportionality is applied in practice (e.g., small banks regime, RWA exemptions, differential inspection frequencies, AI and outsourcing...
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA supports the consultation drafts presented by the Federal Council for the implementation, within the Banking Act and the Liquidity Ordinance, of the measures set out in the Federal Council’s “too big to fail” report and the PInC report on the CS crisis. These are…
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA is incorporating an existing circular on liquidity risks at banks and securities firms to a new ordinance. In doing so it is fulfilling the requirement for the format compliance of regulation in accordance with Article 7 paragraph 1 of the Financial Market…
Why this matters
FINMA published a new ordinance replacing previous liquidity guidance for banks and securities firms, effective January 1, 2027. The update includes minor substantive changes to liquidity shortage reporting and financial planning requirements.
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA is incorporating two existing circulars on risk diversification at banks and securities firms into a new ordinance. In doing so it is fulfilling the requirement for the format compliance of regulation in accordance with Article 7 paragraph 1 of the Financial…
Why this matters
FINMA published a new ordinance on risk diversification replacing previous circulars, with implementation effective January 1, 2027. This is informational regulatory guidance on prudential requirements for banks and securities firms, aligned with Basel III reforms.
Speech by FINMA Director at small and medium-sized insurance company symposium covering supervisory priorities, climate risk management, customer protection measures, proportional regulatory approach, and governance standards.
FINMA's annual media conference outlining 2025 supervisory priorities. Covers resilience and capital adequacy across banks and insurers, operational risks from outsourcing and cyber threats, client protection in asset management, and AML/sanctions compliance.
Das Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft (SECO) hat eine Änderung der Liste der sanktionierten natürlichen Personen, Unternehmen und Organisationen der Verordnung vom 21. März 2025 über Massnahmen gegenüber Personen und Organisationen, die mit den Taliban in Verbindung stehen (SR 946.231.07), publiziert.
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA relates to the enforcement of UN sanctions against the Taliban, which impacts financial intermediaries across the banking, investment management, and wealth management sectors. It requires firms to implement the sanctions, freeze assets, and report relevant business relationships.
Das Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft (SECO) hat eine Änderung der Liste der sanktionierten natürlichen Personen, Unternehmen und Organisationen der Verordnung vom 21. März 2025 über Massnahmen gegenüber Personen und Organisationen, die mit den Taliban in Verbindung stehen (SR 946.231.07), publiziert.
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA relates to the enforcement of UN sanctions against the Taliban, which impacts financial intermediaries across the banking, investment management, and wealth management sectors. It requires firms to implement the sanctions, freeze assets, and report relevant business relationships.
Das Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft (SECO) hat eine Änderung der Liste der sanktionierten natürlichen Personen, Unternehmen und Organisationen der Verordnung vom 21. März 2025 über Massnahmen gegenüber Personen und Organisationen, die mit den Organisationen ISIL (Da'esh) und Al-Kaida in Verbindung stehen (SR…
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA relates to the enforcement of UN sanctions against ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida, which is of high importance for financial institutions across the banking, investment management, and wealth management sectors.
Das Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft (SECO) hat eine Änderung der Liste der sanktionierten natürlichen Personen, Unternehmen und Organisationen der Verordnung vom 21. März 2025 über Massnahmen gegenüber Personen und Organisationen, die mit den Organisationen ISIL (Da'esh) und Al-Kaida in Verbindung stehen (SR…
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA relates to the enforcement of UN sanctions against ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida, which is of high importance for financial institutions across the banking, investment management, and wealth management sectors.
Das Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft (SECO) hat eine Änderung der Liste der sanktionierten natürlichen Personen, Unternehmen und Organisationen der Verordnung vom 21. März 2025 über Massnahmen gegenüber Personen und Gruppen, die mit den Taliban in Verbindung stehen (SR 946.231.07), publiziert.
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA relates to the enforcement of UN sanctions against the Taliban, which impacts financial intermediaries in the banking, investment management, and wealth management sectors. It requires firms to implement the sanctions, freeze assets, and report relevant business relationships.
FINMA says its current enforcement toolkit is still too limited because it cannot generally impose administrative fines and can only publicly identify individual enforcement cases in narrow circumstances. The publication matters because it reinforces the direction of Swiss reform debate after Credit Suisse: more individual accountability, more deterrence, and more transparency in enforcement outcomes.
Key dates
2022
- FINMA had already proposed introducing an accountability regime to define managers’ roles and responsibilities more clearly
Summer 2023
- An expert report renewed the call for fines, clearer senior-management responsibility, and greater enforcement transparency
Spring 2024
- The Federal Council’s TBTF report again carried forward these reform themes
End of 2024
- The Parliamentary Investigation Commission report recommended strengthening enforcement effectiveness and transparency
Summer 2025
- The Federal Council set parameters for upcoming legislative reforms including these enforcement-related measures
Suggested considerations
Review governance maps and delegations to ensure each regulated activity, key control, and approval step is assigned to a clearly identified accountable senior manager.
Document senior-management responsibilities in a manner that would withstand a future accountability-regime review, including decision rights, escalation duties, and oversight obligations.
Stress-test enforcement readiness by preparing for formal FINMA proceedings that may end in binding rulings, remediation orders, or publication.
Update incident-response and remediation workflows so that suspected supervisory-law breaches are escalated, investigated, and corrected quickly and with a complete evidence trail.
Assume greater reputational exposure in enforcement cases and review internal communications, disclosure controls, and media-response protocols accordingly.
What changed
- FINMA is again advocating a statutory power to impose fines for serious supervisory-law breaches, which it says would strengthen deterrence and enforcement effectiveness.
FINMA is again calling for a clearer allocation of responsibility among senior management, consistent with an accountability regime or senior managers’ regime.
FINMA is again seeking the right to inform the public about concluded enforcement proceedings involving serious rule violations, rather than being restricted to anonymous statistics and exceptional...
FINMA reiterates that it already uses formal enforcement proceedings to clarify facts and restore compliance, with measures concluded by a ruling.
FINMA states that, under current law, it may generally only publish anonymous enforcement statistics and individual case disclosures only where there is a particular supervisory interest.
Compliance impact
The immediate legal position is unchanged, but the supervisory direction is clear: FINMA is pushing for a more punitive, more personal, and more transparent enforcement framework. Firms that fail to strengthen governance, documentation, and remediation discipline face higher exposure to enforcement action, reputational harm, and future individual accountability measures once reforms are adopted.
Das Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft (SECO) hat eine Änderung der Verordnung vom 21. März 2025 über Massnahmen gegenüber Personen und Organisationen, die mit den Organisationen ISIL (Da'esh) und Al-Kaida in Verbindung stehen (SR 946.231.08) publiziert.
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA discusses its supervisory powers and approach to enforcing financial regulations, particularly related to AML/CFT and prudential requirements. It is relevant for a range of financial firms, including banks, wealth managers, and other regulated entities.
The US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced today that it considers MBaer Merchant Bank AG to be a financial institution of primary money laundering concern. FINMA is in contact with the bank and FinCEN in connection with the case. The enforcement proceedings previously concluded by FINMA against…
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA concerns enforcement actions and supervisory measures taken against MBaer Merchant Bank AG, a Swiss bank, related to anti-money laundering rules and sanctions risk management.
Das Eidgenössische Departement für Wirtschaft, Bildung und Forschung (WBF) hat den Anhang der Verordnung vom 10. April 2024 über Massnahmen gegenüber Personen und Organisationen, welche die Hamas oder den Palästinensischen Islamischen Dschihad unterstützen (SR 946.231.09), geändert.
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA, the Swiss financial regulator, discusses its supervisory powers and approach to enforcing financial regulations. It is relevant for banking, investment management, and wealth management firms operating in Switzerland, as well as more broadly for all financial firms subject to FINMA's...
The Board of Directors of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA has appointed Alain Girard as the new Head of its Banks division. The current Head of the Recovery and Resolution division will take up his new role on 1 April 2026. He succeeds Thomas Hirschi, who left FINMA at the end of August 2025…
Why this matters
This regulatory update announces the appointment of a new head of FINMA's Banks division, which is a significant leadership change at the Swiss financial regulator.
More attractive working conditions and lower operating costs per workstation: FINMA will relocate its Zurich office from the city centre to Zurich-Oerlikon in autumn 2026.
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA, the Swiss financial regulator, announces the relocation of its Zurich office to a new location in Oerlikon. The move is driven by the expiration of the current rental agreement and aims to reduce operating costs while providing more attractive working conditions.
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA is today publishing its ex-post evaluation report on the requirements for interest rate risk management in the banking book. The evaluation has shown that the supervisory practice has essentially been successful and that the objectives have been achieved. Specific…
Das Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft (SECO) hat eine Änderung der Verordnung vom 21. März 2025 über Massnahmen gegenüber Personen und Organisationen, die mit den Organisationen ISIL (Da'esh) und Al-Kaida in Verbindung stehen (SR 946.231.08) publiziert.
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA relates to sanctions measures against individuals and organizations associated with ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida. This is relevant for banks, wealth managers, and other financial firms that need to comply with sanctions requirements.
Das Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft (SECO) hat eine Änderung der Verordnung vom 21. März 2025 über Massnahmen gegenüber Personen und Organisationen, die mit den Organisationen ISIL (Da'esh) und Al-Kaida in Verbindung stehen (SR 946.231.08) publiziert.
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA relates to sanctions measures against individuals and organizations associated with ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida. This impacts banking, investment management, and wealth management firms that need to comply with sanctions requirements.
Das Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft (SECO) hat eine Änderung der Verordnung vom 21. März 2025 über Massnahmen gegenüber Personen und Organisationen, die mit den Organisationen ISIL (Da'esh) und Al-Kaida in Verbindung stehen (SR 946.231.08) publiziert.
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA relates to sanctions measures against individuals and organizations associated with ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida. This impacts banking, investment management, and wealth management firms that need to comply with sanctions requirements.
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA takes note of the Federal Administrative Court’s partial decision concerning the write-down of AT1 capital instruments. FINMA will contest the judgment of 1 October 2025 and appeal to the Federal Supreme Court.
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA concerns the write-down of AT1 capital instruments, which is a key prudential requirement for banks. The fact that FINMA is appealing the court's decision indicates this is an important issue for the banking sector.
Das Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft (SECO) hat eine Änderung der Verordnung vom 21. März 2025 über Massnahmen gegenüber Personen und Organisationen, die mit den Organisationen ISIL (Da'esh) und Al-Kaida in Verbindung stehen (SR 946.231.08) publiziert.
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA relates to sanctions measures against individuals and organizations associated with ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida. This is relevant for banks, wealth managers, and other financial firms that need to comply with sanctions regulations.
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA today published guidance on the extension of the transitional period for exchange of collateral in certain OTC derivatives transactions. The current transitional period runs until 1 January 2026 and will be extended by a further three years.
AI Analysis
FINMA extended the transitional period for collateral exchange requirements in non-centrally cleared OTC derivatives from January 1, 2026 to January 1, 2029, providing Swiss market participants with three additional years of relief from mandatory collateral posting obligations on certain equity derivatives. This extension aligns Swiss regulation with the EU's indefinite exemption introduced in December 2024, preventing competitive disadvantages for Swiss derivatives traders while a permanent regulatory framework is developed.
Key dates
October 9, 2025
- FINMA Guidance 04/2025 published and takes effect immediately
January 1, 2029
- New expiration date for the transitional period; collateral exchange obligations become mandatory unless further extended or a permanent framework is adopted
Suggested considerations
*Acknowledge the extended timeline: Update internal compliance calendars and risk management frameworks to reflect the January 1, 2029 deadline rather than January 1, 2026.
*Monitor FinMIA revision: Track ongoing legislative developments regarding the permanent regulatory framework for OTC derivatives to prepare for post-2029 compliance requirements.
*Assess competitive positioning: Evaluate whether the extended transitional period affects trading strategies, counterparty relationships, or market competitiveness relative to EU and UK peers.
What changed
The primary regulatory change is the extension of the transitional period under Article 131 paragraph 5bis of the Financial Market Infrastructure Ordinance (FinMIO). Specifically:
Previous deadline: January 1, 2026
New deadline: January 1, 2029
Scope: Applies to non-centrally cleared OTC derivatives transactions involving equity options, index options, and equity basket derivatives that are not cleared through a FINMA-authorized or...
Regulatory basis: FINMA Guidance 04/2025, issued October 9, 2025, under authority granted by Article 131 paragraph 6 FinMIO
The extension does not eliminate the collateral exchange obligation;...
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA has identified further progress in UBS’s resolvability and continues to view a resolution as feasible. However, there is a need for greater optionality, which will also require legislative changes. UBS’s emergency plan largely fulfils the current statutory…
Why this matters
The regulatory update discusses progress in UBS's resolvability and the need for greater optionality, which will require legislative changes. This is relevant for banking and wealth management firms from a prudential and operational resilience perspective.
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA and the UK Financial Conduct Authority FCA and Prudential Regulation Authority PRA today signed a memorandum of understanding. The memorandum sets out details of the co-operation under the Berne Financial Services Agreement and opens up new cross-border…
Why this matters
This regulatory update covers cooperation between Swiss and UK financial regulators, which impacts firms in the banking, investment management, and insurance sectors. Key topics include prudential requirements, licensing, and consumer protection.
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA is today publishing guidance on the disclosure of cryptobased assets in the annual financial statements of banks and securities firms. It is thereby addressing ambiguities that have arisen since the DLT Act entered into force. FINMA emphasises that the existing…
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA provides guidance on the disclosure of crypto-based assets in the annual financial statements of banks and securities firms. It is relevant for banks and crypto exchanges as it clarifies existing disclosure requirements in this emerging asset class.
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA is transferring the FINMA Banking Insolvency Ordinance, FINMA Insurance Bankruptcy Ordinance and FINMA Collective Investment Schemes Bankruptcy Ordinance to a new consolidated FINMA Insolvency Ordinance. The existing regulations have been revised and adapted where…
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA consolidates insolvency proceedings for financial institutions, including banks, asset managers, and wealth managers. It revises existing regulations based on practical experience, which impacts prudential requirements, operational resilience, and authorization/licensing for these...
The 2024 insurance market report, which was published today by FINMA, offers an overview of the Swiss insurance market last year. Swiss insurance companies achieved aggregate annual profits of CHF 10.4 billion in 2024, which represents a 24% decrease over the previous year. While life and non-life insurers were able…
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA provides an overview of the 2024 financial performance of the Swiss insurance sector, including details on profitability and trends across life, non-life, and reinsurance segments.
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA has completed its annual assessment of the emergency and recovery plans for the domestic systemically important banks. The emergency plans for Zürcher Kantonalbank and Raiffeisen fulfil the regulatory requirements. The emergency plan for PostFinance is still not…
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA assesses the emergency and recovery plans for three domestic systemically important banks in Switzerland - PostFinance, Raiffeisen, and Zürcher Kantonalbank. This is relevant for the banking and payments sectors, as it relates to prudential requirements and operational resilience.
Das Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft (SECO) hat eine Änderung der Verordnung vom 21. März 2025 über Massnahmen gegenüber Personen und Organisationen, die mit den Organisationen ISIL (Da'esh) und Al-Kaida in Verbindung stehen (SR 946.231.08) publiziert.
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA relates to sanctions measures against individuals and organizations associated with ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida. This impacts banking, investment management, and wealth management firms that need to comply with sanctions requirements.
This regulatory update from FINMA appears to relate to the harmonization of sanctions regulations, which would impact banking, investment management, and wealth management firms in terms of AML/financial crime compliance, prudential requirements, and reporting obligations.
On 3 July 2025, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA launched the consultations on the new Ordinances on the Risk Diversification of Banks and Securities Firms and on the Liquidity of Banks and Securities Firms. The consultations will go on until 29 September 2025.
Das Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft (SECO) hat eine Änderung der Verordnung vom 21. März 2025 über Massnahmen gegenüber Personen und Organisationen, die mit den Organisationen ISIL (Da'esh) und Al-Kaida in Verbindung stehen (SR 946.231.08) publiziert.
Why this matters
This regulatory update from FINMA relates to sanctions measures against individuals and organizations associated with ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida. This impacts banking, investment management, and wealth management firms that need to comply with sanctions requirements.