Swiss KYB rests on the cantonal Handelsregister, searchable centrally through Zefix and keyed to the UID (Unternehmens-Identifikationsnummer). The AG (Aktiengesellschaft) and GmbH are the dominant forms. Switzerland is outside the EU, so it maintains its own SECO sanctions regime, and as a major wealth and trust centre it carries elevated beneficial-ownership complexity.
Business verification (KYB)
First Mile Labs retrieves the Handelsregister extract via Zefix — legal form, registered seat (Sitz), share capital, and the signatory officers with their signing rights — keyed to the UID. Because Switzerland has no central public beneficial-ownership register, ownership is established from company declarations and shareholder documentation rather than a registry pull, and the platform flags where ultimate ownership cannot be confirmed from the available sources.
Identity verification (IDV)
Swiss directors and beneficial owners are verified using the Swiss identity card or passport, with document authentication, liveness, and face-match. Non-nationals resident in Switzerland are verified via their residence permit (the B or C Ausweis).
Sanctions, PEP & adverse media (AML)
Swiss entities and individuals are screened against the SECO sanctions list, UN, EU measures (which Switzerland typically adopts), and OFAC, with PEP and adverse-media checks running continuously. Switzerland's status as a wealth centre makes thorough PEP screening especially important.
From our compliance team
Switzerland is the market where the registry tells you the least about ownership. The Handelsregister is precise on legal form and signatories but there is no public UBO register, and the country's trust, foundation, and fiduciary structures are designed for discretion. We never treat the absence of a registry ownership pull as the absence of risk — we require ownership evidence directly from the customer and route thin cases to enhanced due diligence.
Switzerland onboarding — FAQ
Does Switzerland have a public beneficial-ownership register?
No. The cantonal Handelsregister covers legal form and signatories but not ultimate ownership. First Mile Labs establishes beneficial ownership from customer declarations and shareholder documentation, and flags cases where it cannot be confirmed from available sources.
How is Swiss company data accessed?
Through the cantonal commercial registers, searchable centrally via Zefix and keyed to the UID enterprise identifier. The platform retrieves the structured extract for legal form, seat, capital, and signatory rights.
Which sanctions regime applies to Swiss customers?
Switzerland maintains its own SECO sanctions list and typically adopts EU measures. First Mile Labs screens against SECO, UN, OFAC, and EU lists, with PEP and adverse-media checks given particular weight for this wealth-centre market.
Coverage in other markets
Onboarding customers in Switzerland?
Book a demo and we'll walk you through a full Switzerland case — registry, identity, screening, and decision.
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