Estrella facilitates acquisitions of Swiss licensed e-money and fintech companies — FINMA-authorized institutions providing payment, e-money, and digital asset services from one of the world’s most respected financial centres.
Switzerland is not part of the European Union and therefore does not implement the EU’s e-money directive. Instead, Swiss financial institutions providing e-money and payment services operate under domestic Swiss financial market regulation supervised by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA).
The most relevant Swiss authorisations for e-money-equivalent services are: the FinTech licence (Article 1b of the Banking Act) for institutions accepting public deposits up to CHF 100 million without engaging in classic banking business; the banking licence for full-scope deposit-taking and payment institutions; and SRO membership (self-regulatory organisation) for financial intermediaries providing payment services without deposit-taking activity.
The FinTech licence — sometimes informally referred to as a “Swiss EMI” — was specifically designed to accommodate innovative payment and e-money business models with proportionate regulatory burden. It has become increasingly popular for European fintech operators seeking Swiss credibility and Swiss-banking access.
The FINMA authorisation process for a new FinTech licence or banking licence is rigorous and lengthy — typically 8–18 months from initial application through approval, with extensive documentation requirements covering governance, capital, business model, AML/CFT compliance, IT infrastructure, and risk management. FINMA is widely regarded as one of the world’s most demanding financial regulators.
Acquiring a pre-licensed Swiss entity bypasses the FINMA approval timeline and provides immediate access to Swiss banking relationships, the Swiss franc payment system, and the international credibility associated with Swiss financial regulation. For crypto and fintech operators, Switzerland offers a uniquely supportive environment — the country has been a global leader in regulatory clarity for digital assets, with the “Crypto Valley” ecosystem in Zug serving as a major hub.
Pre-licensed entities also come with established FINMA relationships, accepted compliance frameworks, and — critically — Swiss banking relationships that are notoriously difficult to obtain for new market entrants regardless of business model.
Swiss financial institutions are regulated under the Banking Act, the Financial Institutions Act (FinIA), the Financial Services Act (FinSA), and the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA). FINMA is the integrated supervisor for banks, securities firms, asset managers, payment institutions, and FinTech licensees.
Under the FinTech licence (Banking Act Article 1b), authorised institutions may accept public deposits up to CHF 100 million but may not invest those funds or pay interest. Capital requirements are 3% of the deposits accepted, with a minimum of CHF 300,000. Operational requirements include adequate organisation, risk management, internal controls, AML/CFT compliance, and qualified senior management subject to FINMA fit-and-proper assessment.
For larger-scale operations involving classic banking activities, a full banking licence is required with substantially higher capital (CHF 10 million minimum, typically more in practice) and broader operational requirements. Both licence types include comprehensive AML/CFT obligations under AMLA and Swiss FATF-aligned standards, which are among the strictest globally.
Estrella maintains relationships with Swiss-licensed institutions across the FinTech licence and banking licence categories. Available opportunities include FinTech-licensed payment institutions with active Swiss banking relationships, smaller banking-licensed institutions seeking strategic acquirers, and SRO-affiliated payment service providers serving niche markets.
Each potential acquisition is subject to comprehensive due diligence covering FINMA authorisation status and any historical supervisory matters, capital adequacy and ongoing compliance, banking relationships and counterparty arrangements, AML/CFT framework and audit history, governance structure and key personnel arrangements, and corporate and tax history. FINMA change-of-qualified-participant approval is required for any acquisition exceeding 10% ownership thresholds.
Swiss licensed entities are scarce and command premium pricing. For current availability and detailed entity profiles, please contact our acquisitions team for a confidential discussion.
Swiss licensed-entity acquisitions typically take 4–8 months. The corporate transfer can complete in weeks, but FINMA change-of-qualified-participant approval is required — generally 60–120 days from a complete notification. FINMA is thorough and may request additional information that extends the timeline. Estrella works with Swiss regulatory counsel throughout the process.
No. Switzerland is not in the EU and does not implement the EU e-money directive. The closest equivalent is the Swiss FinTech licence under Article 1b of the Banking Act, which allows acceptance of public deposits up to CHF 100 million for payment and e-money-like activities. Larger operations require a full banking licence. Estrella will clarify the specific licence category and scope of any entity under consideration.
Yes, foreign ownership is permitted, but FINMA requires fit-and-proper assessment of all “qualified participants” (typically 10%+ ownership). FINMA is particularly attentive to beneficial ownership transparency, source of funds, regulatory history, and any adverse legal matters. Switzerland’s regulatory expectations on ownership transparency are among the most stringent globally.
The FinTech licence requires minimum capital of 3% of accepted public deposits, subject to a CHF 300,000 floor. A full banking licence requires CHF 10 million minimum, though typical practice is substantially higher. SRO-affiliated payment services have lower capital requirements but cannot accept deposits.
Swiss licensed entities are scarce and command premium pricing reflecting jurisdictional credibility, regulatory rigour, and existing Swiss banking access. Pricing varies dramatically based on licence type (FinTech vs banking), capital position, banking relationships, and any active customer book. Contact us for current availability.
Contact Estrella to explore available FINMA-authorised Swiss companies. Our team coordinates with Swiss regulatory counsel for the FINMA change-of-qualified-participant process and provides full acquisition support.
© 2024 Estrella | All Rights Reserved
