Swiss Transparency Register: What Companies Need to Know Now

As of October 1, 2026, the new Swiss Transparency Register will take effect in Switzerland. This will require most legal entities to report their beneficial owners to the federal government. The goal of the new regulation is to strengthen the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing and to increase transparency regarding corporate structures.

But what does this mean in concrete terms for companies? And what steps should managing directors, board members, and shareholders take today?

What is the Swiss Transparency Register?

The Transparency Register is a central federal register maintained by the Federal Office of Justice (FOJ). It records the natural persons who ultimately exercise control over a legal entity—for example, based on their equity interest or voting rights.

The register is not public. Access is granted exclusively to the competent law enforcement authorities and financial intermediaries, to the extent necessary to fulfill their statutory due diligence obligations.

Which companies are affected?

The following organizations are particularly affected by the new reporting requirement:

• Public limited companies (AG)
• Limited liability companies (GmbH)
• Cooperatives
• Foundations
• Other legal entities under Swiss law

Foreign companies may also be subject to the reporting requirement if they have a sufficient connection to Switzerland—for example, through real estate ownership, a branch office, or their actual management being based in Switzerland.

Who is considered a beneficial owner?

Beneficial owners are natural persons who exercise control over a company. This is generally the case when a person directly or indirectly holds at least 25 percent of the capital or voting rights or otherwise controls the company.

Companies must identify these individuals and keep their information up to date.

How is the report submitted to the Swiss Transparency Register?

The report is submitted exclusively digitally and free of charge via the business platform EasyGov.swiss.

Companies are responsible for ensuring that the reported information is accurate, complete, and up-to-date. In addition, a control unit within the Federal Department of Finance (FDF) will verify the quality of the submitted data.

What should companies do now?

Even though the reporting requirement does not take effect until October 1, 2026, it is worth preparing early.

The following steps are recommended:

• review the ownership and shareholding structure;
• identify the beneficial owners;
• define internal responsibilities for reporting;
• update existing documentation;
• register with EasyGov.swiss early.

Particularly in cases of complex ownership structures or corporate groups, identifying the beneficial owners may require additional clarification.

Key Milestones

The introduction of the Transparency Register took place in several stages:

• May 22, 2024: The Federal Council adopts the dispatch on the new Transparency Act.
• September 26, 2025: Parliament passes the Federal Act on the Transparency of Legal Entities (TJPG).
• October 15, 2025: Public consultation on the implementing ordinance.
• May 18, 2026: The ordinance on the pilot program enters into force.
• June 16, 2026: Start of the pilot operation of the Transparency Register.
• October 1, 2026: The Transparency Registry enters into force and the reporting requirement begins.

Conclusion

With the new Transparency Registry, Switzerland is introducing an important tool to increase the transparency of corporate structures and is implementing international standards to combat money laundering.

While this entails additional administrative obligations for companies, early preparation provides clarity and prevents unnecessary effort during implementation. Those who review their ownership structures now and prepare the necessary processes will be able to navigate the transition much more easily.