Regulator profile · CH
FINMA — Eidgenössische Finanzmarktaufsicht
Tracked byBrokerlist Editorial · Independent review teamUpdated
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) is Switzerland's independent financial-services regulator. It supervises banks, insurers, securities firms and exchanges, and authorises retail forex and CFD providers under the Banking Act, Financial Institutions Act (FinIA) and Financial Services Act (FinSA).
Brokers in Switzerland accepting residents under FINMA- Jurisdiction
- Switzerland · all 26 cantons.
- Founded
- 2009
- Mandate
- Established by the Federal Act on Financial Market Supervision, merging the Swiss Federal Banking Commission (SFBC), Federal Office of Private Insurance (FOPI) and Anti-Money Laundering Control Authority. FINMA enforces FinSA (in force since 2020) for client-protection conduct rules and FinIA for licensing.
- Consumer protection
- The Esisuisse deposit-guarantee scheme covers up to CHF 100,000 per depositor at member banks. FinSA introduced suitability/appropriateness rules for investment services. Client-asset segregation is required for FinIA-licensed securities firms; negative balance protection is not statutorily mandated.
- Retail leverage caps
- Switzerland is outside the EU/EEA; FINMA does not impose ESMA-style retail leverage caps. Most FINMA-licensed brokers self-impose 1:100 maximum for retail FX/CFD with conduct-based suitability checks. Qualified Investors (institutional or net assets above CHF 500,000 with sufficient knowledge) can access higher leverage.
- Public register
- FINMA's public database of authorised institutions and individuals. Search by firm name or licence type (bank, securities firm, fund manager) to verify authorisation, scope and conditions. Open register ↗
- Dispute resolution
- Banking and securities disputes go to the Swiss Banking Ombudsman (Ombudsman der Schweizerischen Banken); investment-services disputes use FINOS or the institution's designated ombudsman scheme. Mediation is free; outcomes are conciliatory rather than binding.
- Editor notes
- Swiss-licensed brokers — Dukascopy and Swissquote being the highest-profile retail names — often serve a high-net-worth international client base. Swiss bank-grade segregation and FINMA oversight are the editorial draw; the trade-off is fewer aggressive promotions and higher minimum-deposit thresholds than offshore competitors.
Brokers we track with a FINMA licence
No brokersNo tracked broker currently holds a FINMA licence in our database.