Set up a Swiss business from anywhere.

No. Foreign nationals may own 100% of a Swiss AG or GmbH regardless of residency. However, at least one authorised signatory must reside in Switzerland, the resident-director rule (OR art. 718.4 for AG, 814.3 for GmbH). Nominee-director services satisfy this without you relocating.

The GmbH is built for closely held businesses: CHF 20,000 capital fully paid in, partners publicly listed in the Commercial Register. The AG is built for capital raising and holding structures: CHF 100,000 capital with CHF 50,000 or 20% paid in at formation, shareholders held privately.

CHF 20,000 for a GmbH, fully paid in at formation. CHF 100,000 for an AG, with at least CHF 50,000 or 20% paid in at formation (OR art. 621, 632, 773, 777c). Sole proprietorships have no minimum but carry unlimited personal liability.

A GmbH typically completes in two to four weeks. An AG typically runs three to six weeks. Steps include a name check via Zefix, drafting articles, notarial deed, Handelsregister filing and capital consignment. Cantonal processing speed varies.

Appenzell Innerrhoden posts the lowest headline rate at around 11.5%, with Zug at about 11.85% carrying the strongest combination of low tax, Crypto Valley depth and international infrastructure. Lucerne and Nidwalden follow at ~12.3% and ~11.9%.

Yes. An AG must have at least one board member or officer resident in Switzerland with signing power (OR art. 718.4). A GmbH must have at least one managing officer resident in Switzerland (OR art. 814.3). A nominee-director mandate satisfies this for non-Swiss founders.

Yes. Nationality is not a bar to ownership. It does affect the permit path if you intend to move: EU/EFTA nationals benefit from free movement; third-country nationals need a B-permit under the annual federal quota and must show economic interest to Switzerland (FNA art. 19).

Yes. Share capital must be deposited into a consignment account at a Swiss bank and blocked until the Handelsregister entry is recorded. Operating accounts can be opened separately, timelines vary from five to thirty days depending on the bank’s due diligence on foreign beneficial owners.

No. Forming a Swiss company does not grant a residence permit. The permit track is separate, B-permit for third-country nationals under quota, direct registration for EU/EFTA nationals. For third-country founders, expect three to six months where the economic-interest test is passed.

Switzerland’s standard VAT rate is 8.1% (effective 1 January 2024, replacing 8.0%). Registration is required once worldwide taxable turnover reaches CHF 100,000 (MWSTG art. 10). Foreign businesses making any supply in Switzerland are liable from the first franc of Swiss turnover if the worldwide threshold is met.

Yes. The participation exemption removes federal tax on dividends from qualifying shareholdings (DBG art. 69-70). Withholding on outbound dividends is 35% statutory, typically reduced to 0/5/10/15% under a network of about 80 double taxation treaties, including 0% CH-EU intercompany.

Use the contact form at /contact/. Most services have published fixed fees — see the relevant service page for the rate (GmbH formation CHF 990, AG formation CHF 1,490, registered address CHF 1,200/year, etc.). For multi-step engagements (M&A, FINMA licensing, restructuring) we send a written proposal once we know: target legal form, canton preference, activity and expected turnover, founder nationality and residence, and nominee-director need.