Company Formation in Switzerland: Set Up a Swiss Company

Company formation in Switzerland means creating a new Swiss legal entity, most often a GmbH (the Swiss equivalent of a limited liability company) or an AG (a stock corporation), through a notarial deed and entry in the cantonal commercial register. Once registered, your company exists in its own right and can trade, contract, and bank in Switzerland. Müller Konsult guides international founders through the whole process, from choosing the entity and canton to the resident-director arrangement, banking, and tax registration that follow.

If you need a Swiss company faster than a fresh registration allows, you can instead buy a ready-made Swiss shelf company and take it over in days. This page covers forming a new one.

What company formation in Switzerland involves

Forming a Swiss company is the process of bringing a brand-new entity into legal existence. You decide on the structure and canton, draft the articles of association, pay the share capital into a blocked account, sign the incorporation before a notary, and file with the cantonal commercial register (Handelsregister). The company comes into being on registration and becomes searchable in Zefix, Switzerland’s central business-name index.

The two structures most foreign founders use are the GmbH and the AG. People often ask what the Swiss equivalent of an LLC is: that is the GmbH. The AG is closer to a stock corporation and is preferred where higher capital, share transferability, or shareholder privacy matter. Both are governed by the Swiss Code of Obligations and both can be fully foreign-owned.

Who forms a Swiss company, and who should consider it

Switzerland appeals to founders who value stability, a strong banking sector, and a credible jurisdiction for cross-border business. Forming here tends to suit:

• Foreign and non-resident founders who want a Swiss base without an existing local company.
• Holding and asset-management structures that benefit from Switzerland’s participation exemption and treaty network.
• Technology and crypto founders drawn to Zug, home of “Crypto Valley”, where a crypto company in Switzerland can be based.
• SMEs and consultancies wanting a respected Swiss identity for clients and suppliers.

If you are still weighing jurisdictions, our Germany vs Switzerland vs Austria comparison sets the trade-offs side by side.

Swiss company types: GmbH, AG, holding and branch

Choosing the right structure is the first real decision, because it sets your capital, your privacy, and your administrative load.

For most founders the choice is between the GmbH and the AG. The GmbH is cheaper to capitalise and simple to run; the AG carries more weight with banks and investors and keeps shareholders out of the public register. We match the structure to your purpose rather than defaulting to one. For the tax side of that choice, see corporate tax in Switzerland.

The resident-director requirement

This is the rule that surprises most international founders, so it is worth being clear. Under the Swiss Code of Obligations, at least one person authorised to represent the company must be domiciled in Switzerland — for an AG under Article 718 paragraph 4, and for a GmbH under Article 814 paragraph 3. You can own 100% of the shares from abroad, but the company must have a Swiss-resident representative who can sign on its behalf.

In practice this is solved with a resident director or an authorised signatory based in Switzerland. Where you do not have one, a nominee or resident director service fills the gap so the company satisfies the law and can still be controlled by you as the owner.

The Swiss company formation process step by step

Our process is built to keep formation predictable from first call to register entry:

1. Consultation. We confirm your goals, recommend GmbH or AG, and choose the canton and resident-representative arrangement.
2. Name check and registered office. We clear the name against Zefix and set up a registered office in your chosen canton.
3. Articles of association. We draft the articles and incorporation documents to Swiss legal standards.
4. Blocked capital account. The share capital is paid into a blocked account and the bank issues a deposit confirmation.
5. Notarial deed. Incorporation is signed before a Swiss notary as a public deed.
6. Commercial register filing. Documents go to the cantonal commercial register; the company comes into existence on entry and appears in Zefix.
7. Going operational. The blocked account converts to a business account, VAT registration follows if required, and ongoing compliance begins.

The notary and public deed

A Swiss company cannot be formed by a private agreement alone. The incorporation must be recorded as a public deed before a notary, who confirms the founders’ identities, the articles, and the capital arrangements. This gives the registration legal certainty and is a fixed part of every legitimate Swiss formation.

The blocked capital account

Before registration, the share capital is paid into a special blocked account at a Swiss bank. The bank issues a confirmation that the money is held, which the register requires as proof of capitalisation. Once the company is registered, the account is unblocked and the funds become the company’s working capital. Opening that account involves full KYC, so allow time for the bank’s checks.

What you need to provide (KYC and AML)

Swiss anti-money-laundering rules apply to every formation, so we will ask you for:

• Certified identification and proof of address for all directors, shareholders, and ultimate beneficial owners.
• The planned business activity and company purpose.
• The articles of association and the capital-deposit confirmation.
• A Swiss-domiciled person with signatory authority, or our resident-director solution.

We coordinate the KYC file and the communication with the bank and the notary so everything is in order before the deed is signed.

Minimum share capital and legal requirements

The capital rules come straight from the Swiss Code of Obligations, and they differ by structure:

• A GmbH needs CHF 20,000 in share capital, fully paid in before registration.
• An AG needs CHF 100,000, of which at least CHF 50,000 (or 20%) must be paid in at formation.
• At least one representative must be domiciled in Switzerland (Article 718(4) for the AG, Article 814(3) for the GmbH).
• The company exists once it is entered in the cantonal commercial register and is then searchable in Zefix.

A point worth stressing: the share capital is not a fee. It is paid into a blocked account and, once the company is live, becomes its own working capital. So a large part of what looks like the “cost” of a Swiss company is money that ends up belonging to your business.

Timeline: how long does it take?

For a straightforward formation, allow roughly one to two weeks from the point where your documents and capital are in order. Name clearance and document preparation take a few days, the blocked-account and KYC step depends on the bank, and the cantonal register typically processes a clean filing within a few business days. Much of the work can be done remotely. If you need a Swiss entity sooner, taking over an existing company through our shelf company route collapses the timeline to days.

What it costs: included vs extra

A frequent complaint about Swiss formation providers is that prices are vague or bundled. We think it is clearer to split the cost into what is always part of a formation and the optional extras you choose.

Because the capital belongs to the company, the genuine service element of a Swiss formation is modest next to it. We give you a transparent, itemised quote rather than a single “from” figure, so you can see exactly what you are paying for.

Have questions about your specific situation? Request a free callback with our lawyers, with no commitment. Talk to our team.

Forming a Swiss company as a foreigner or non-resident

You do not need to be Swiss, or live in Switzerland, to own a Swiss company. Foreign ownership is open, and much of the formation can be completed from abroad using certified documents and, where needed, a power of attorney. Two things still apply: the resident-representative rule above, and strict bank onboarding. Swiss banks run thorough checks, and opening the blocked capital account and later the operating account is often the slowest part of the process for non-residents. We prepare the file to meet those expectations and arrange the resident-director element where you need it. Founders from specific markets can also see our guidance for India and the UAE, and if you intend to live and work in Switzerland, read about a Swiss residence permit through business.

Choosing a canton: Zug, Zurich and tax

Switzerland taxes companies at three levels — federal, cantonal, and communal — so where you base the company matters. The federal rate is 8.5%, but the combined effective corporate tax rate ranges from around 11.85% in Zug to roughly 20% in Zurich (about 19.7%). VAT is 8.1%. Zug is the classic low-tax and tech choice, which is why so many crypto and holding structures sit there; Zurich offers scale and a deep talent pool. We help you weigh tax against where your customers, staff, and banking actually are. For a fuller breakdown, see corporate tax in Switzerland, and for city-level options our pages on a shelf company in Zurich and a shelf company in Zug.

Banking, VAT and a Swiss bank account

A company can only operate once it can move money and invoice. Your first account is the blocked capital account; after registration it becomes a normal business account. Because Swiss onboarding is demanding, plan for it early — our guide to opening a Swiss business bank account explains what banks ask for. On tax, you register for VAT once your taxable turnover passes the threshold; the standard rate is 8.1%. If you need a presence without a physical office, a virtual office in Switzerland can provide the registered address.

Ongoing compliance after formation

Registration is the start, not the finish. A Swiss company carries real obligations that lighter providers rarely mention, and we stay with you for them:

• Bookkeeping and accounting to Swiss standards.
• Annual financial statements and, above the statutory size thresholds, an audit.
• Tax and VAT filings and correspondence with the cantonal and federal tax authorities.
• Commercial-register upkeep when directors, capital, or the registered office change.
• Amendments to the articles, company name, or purpose.
• Restructuring or liquidation if you ever wind the company down.

Keeping the entity in good standing protects the banking relationship and the company’s reputation, which is exactly what a Swiss base is for.

Form a new company or buy a Swiss shelf company?

Both routes leave you with the same kind of entity. Forming a new company gives you a clean structure built exactly to your specification, but you wait out the registration and the bank onboarding. Buying a ready-made company gives you an already-registered Swiss entity that transfers in days, which is the better fit when speed matters or a contract cannot wait. Many founders form when they have time and buy when they do not. If speed is the priority, compare a Swiss shelf company or, for a stock corporation, buy an AG in Switzerland.

Why work with a lawyer-led provider

There are many websites offering Swiss formations, and some are little more than order forms. A Swiss company is a real legal entity with real obligations, so who sets it up matters. With Müller Konsult you get guidance grounded in the actual law — the Code of Obligations articles cited on this page — rather than marketing claims; a transparent, itemised quote instead of a vague figure; honest handling of the resident-director rule and the banking reality for non-residents; and a named, accountable corporate lawyer with a real office, not an anonymous form. That is the difference between forming a company and forming it properly.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• Swiss Code of Obligations (Obligationenrecht), official text — fedlex.admin.ch
• Zefix, the Swiss central business-name index — zefix.ch

This page is general information about Swiss company formation, tax, and immigration, not individual legal, tax, or immigration advice. Rules and rates change and depend on your circumstances. We do not guarantee bank approval, tax outcomes, or permit grants.

Ready to form a Swiss company?

Contact Müller Konsult for a fully compliant Swiss company formation. We assess your goals, recommend the right entity and canton, and guide you through every step. Müller Konsult · Königsallee 27, 40212 Düsseldorf · +49 211 5403 8800 · info@gmbhforsale.com · Request a callback

Reviewed by Stefan Stelthove, Corporate & Commercial Lawyer, Müller Konsult. Last updated 7 June 2026.

Related: Buy a Swiss shelf company · Buy an AG in Switzerland · Corporate tax in Switzerland · Open a Swiss bank account · Germany vs Switzerland vs Austria