Swiss business playbook
Your Switzerland playbook — guides for foreign founders
Five orientation guides for non-Swiss founders setting up a Swiss company. Plain English, grounded in Swiss federal sources (OR, MWSTG, ESTV, SEM, FINMA, zefix), honest about timelines and the practical friction foreign owners actually encounter.
Last reviewed: May 2026. Numbers cited below are re-verified against Swiss federal sources (admin.ch, ESTV, SEM, FINMA, zefix, kmu.admin.ch) every January and February. Each figure carries an article reference (OR, MWSTG, FinIA) so you can cross-check.
Start here
Choose your path
Most foreign founders arrive on this page in one of three situations. Pick the closest fit and you will land on the guide or service page that answers your next question.
I’m evaluating Switzerland
Still comparing jurisdictions or still deciding which canton fits your model. Start with the pre-formation checklist, then review the cantonal comparison and the Zug deep dive.
Read the starting-a-business guideI’m relocating to Switzerland
The permit and residency leg of the journey. EU/EFTA free-movement, third-country B permits, cantonal labour-market approvals, realistic 3 to 6 month timelines for non-EU applicants.
Open the residence and relocation pageI’m forming a specific vehicle
You already know the entity, the canton and the rough timeline. Our company-formation team handles notary, consignment account, Handelsregister filing and post-formation registrations end-to-end.
Request help with company formationStill unsure? The five guides below cover the foreigner-relevant parts of Swiss company setup in depth. If you would rather speak to someone first, our team takes a 30-minute intake call at no charge to scope structure, canton and timeline, see talk to our team.
The numbers to know
Three anchors for every Swiss setup
Before you read any guide, the three figures below frame the decisions you will spend most of your time on: where you incorporate, what your minimum capital is, and when you cross into the VAT net.
11.85 – 20.54%
Effective combined corporate tax range, 26 cantons (2026)
CHF 20,000
Minimum share capital for a GmbH, fully paid-in
CHF 100,000
VAT registration threshold (worldwide taxable turnover)
Two other numbers frame every foreigner journey. Federal direct corporate tax sits at 8.5% statutory and roughly 7.83% effective because the tax is itself deductible from taxable profit. The standard Swiss VAT rate is 8.1%, with a 2.6% reduced rate and a 3.8% accommodation rate (MWSTG). Everything else scales from that baseline.
Incorporation decisions
Legal form, capital and the Swiss-resident signatory rule
Foreign ownership of a Swiss AG or GmbH is unrestricted. What the Swiss Code of Obligations does require is that at least one authorised signatory reside in Switzerland (OR art. 718.4 for AG, OR art. 814.3 for GmbH). Combined with the CHF 100,000 AG and CHF 20,000 GmbH minimum-capital floors, that single rule drives most of the practical setup work. The three cards below cover the decisions you will make first.
Pre-formation
Starting a business in Switzerland — the foreigner’s checklist
The end-to-end checklist: pick the entity, confirm the name on zefix, deposit capital into a consignment account, sign the notarial deed, file with the Handelsregister, open the operating account, register for VAT and social insurance.
Read the guideAG vs GmbH
AG vs GmbH — which legal form fits a foreign founder
AG shareholders are private; GmbH partners are listed in the commercial register (OR art. 773). AG minimum capital is CHF 100,000 with CHF 50,000 or 20% paid in (OR art. 621, 632); GmbH minimum is CHF 20,000 fully paid in (OR art. 773, 777c). Our formation team handles both.
Request help with company formationBanking
Capital consignment and operating-account opening
The blocked capital-consignment account is one step in the AG / GmbH formation we run end-to-end. The operating account is opened post-incorporation, with foreign-UBO CDD usually 5 to 30 days. Our formation team coordinates with the bank and chases documentation on your behalf.
Request help with formation and bankingEnd-to-end formation typically takes 2 to 4 weeks for a GmbH and 3 to 6 weeks for an AG, measured from notary appointment to Handelsregister entry and operating-account opening. Bank CDD for foreign beneficial owners is the variable, not the notary or the registry. If you want to reality-check a structure before you start, our capital requirements calculator models paid-in capital, share structure and year-one overhead for AG and GmbH.
Permits and residency
How the Swiss permit regime works for non-Swiss founders
Forming a Swiss company does not grant you a Swiss residence permit. EU/EFTA nationals have free movement and register with their canton of residence. Non-EU nationals must apply for a B permit under a federal quota of roughly 8,500 third-country places in 2025, and self-employed applicants must additionally prove economic interest to Switzerland under FNA art. 19, that is, Swiss customers, Swiss revenue and measurable local contribution.
B, C, L permits
Swiss residence permit — B, C, L explained for founders
B permits cover initial multi-year residence and are renewable annually. C permits mark permanent residence, granted after 10 years (5 for US and Canadian nationals). L permits cover short stays up to 12 months. Realistic end-to-end timeline for a non-EU founder is 3 to 6 months.
Read the guideWork permit
Swiss work permit and self-employment
Employer-sponsored permits sit inside the annual third-country quota (~8,500 places in 2025). Self-employed non-EU applicants face the FNA art. 19 economic-interest test, administered by the cantonal labour-market authority with SEM federal approval on top.
Read the guideFor EU/EFTA nationals the path is direct: register with the canton within three months of arrival and your right to work and to open a business follows from the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons. For third-country nationals, the sequencing usually runs company first, then permit application, then physical relocation, not the other way around. Engaging a Swiss-resident nominee director is a common bridge for the months between incorporation and the founder’s own permit landing.
Tax, VAT and compliance
Swiss tax for foreign-owned companies
Swiss corporate tax stacks three layers: federal direct tax at 8.5% statutory (≈ 7.83% effective because the tax is deductible from its own base), a cantonal layer, and a municipal layer. The combined effective range at 2026 sits between 11.85% in Zug and 20.54% in Bern. VAT registration kicks in at CHF 100,000 worldwide taxable turnover, and foreign businesses making any Swiss supply are in from the first franc once they cross that global threshold.
VAT registration and returns
Swiss VAT (MWST) registration and ongoing returns
Once worldwide taxable turnover crosses CHF 100,000, registration with ESTV is mandatory under MWSTG art. 10. Foreign businesses making any Swiss supply are in from the first franc. We handle initial registration, the 8.1% / 2.6% / 3.8% rate ladder, and quarterly or monthly returns inside the accounting mandate.
Request a VAT and accounting proposalCanton choice
Corporate tax by canton, and why Zug is a default
Compare the full 26-row cantonal tax matrix. Zug (11.85%), Zurich (19.61%) and Geneva (14.70%) anchor the main trade-offs for foreign founders: tax efficiency, talent depth and international-HQ gravity. Basel, Schwyz, Vaud and Ticino cover sector niches.
Compare Swiss cantons for your business
Withholding tax (Verrechnungssteuer) sits at 35% on dividends, bond interest and Swiss bank-deposit interest, with treaty reductions typically bringing non-resident holders down to 0, 5, 10 or 15% depending on the shareholding and the treaty country. Ongoing compliance for a foreign-owned Swiss company includes annual financial statements under the Swiss Code of Obligations, cantonal plus federal corporate tax filings, VAT filings if registered, UBO disclosure under the revised GwG, and a statutory audit only once the OR art. 727 ordinary-audit thresholds are crossed (balance-sheet CHF 20m, revenue CHF 40m, 250 FTEs, two of three for two consecutive years).
Specialised structures
When a generalist guide is not enough
Some foreign founders are not starting a standalone operating company. They want a Swiss holding above an international group, a FINMA-regulated asset-management or trust entity under FinIA, a single-family office structure, or a DLT-native company inside the Zug crypto ecosystem. The generalist guides above skim these and point onward.
Specialised hub
Specialised structures and regulated vehicles
Four B-angle deep dives: Swiss holding companies (participation exemption under DBG art. 69–70), FINMA licences under the 2020 FinIA regime, single- and multi-family office setups, and DLT/crypto structures under FINMA’s 2021 DLT Act extension of FMIA.
Explore specialised structuresIndicators you need the B-angle track
- You will hold assets, IP or subsidiaries rather than trade operationally.
- Your activity requires a FINMA licence (portfolio manager, trustee, fund manager, bank).
- You are structuring around a family’s private wealth, not a corporate P&L.
- Your business is DLT-native, stablecoin-adjacent or otherwise inside the crypto ecosystem.
Tools and quick references
Calculate first, then read
Two reference pages sit alongside the guides: a capital-requirements calculator that models paid-in capital and founding budget for AG or GmbH, and an engagement-process page that documents how our team runs a Swiss setup end-to-end. Both are free to use and neither asks for prices up front.
Interactive tool
Capital requirements calculator
Plug in entity type, number of founders and expected year-one overhead. The tool produces the federal minimum paid-in capital, a suggested working-capital cushion, and the AG versus GmbH comparison side-by-side. No sign-up, no email gate.
Open the calculatorEngagement process
Timelines and engagement process
How we scope work, the published fixed fees on each service page, written proposals for multi-step engagements, document requests, notary coordination, Handelsregister filing, and the post-formation handover to our accounting team.
See our processFAQ
Frequently asked questions
Ten short answers to the questions foreign founders ask us most. Each answer points to the statute or the facts-switzerland section so you can verify independently.
Can a foreigner living outside Switzerland form and own a Swiss GmbH or AG?
Yes. Foreign nationals may be 100% owners of a Swiss AG or GmbH regardless of residency. Swiss law requires at least one authorised signatory to reside in Switzerland (OR art. 718.4 for AG; OR art. 814.3 for GmbH), typically met by a Swiss-resident director or a nominee director.
What is the minimum share capital for a GmbH versus an AG?
A GmbH requires CHF 20,000 fully paid-in at formation (OR art. 773, 777c). An AG requires CHF 100,000 of share capital, with at least CHF 50,000 or 20% (whichever is higher) paid in at formation (OR art. 621, 632).
Which Swiss canton is best for foreign entrepreneurs: Zug, Zurich or Geneva?
It depends on sector. Zug has the lowest combined corporate rate (about 11.85% for 2026) and a strong crypto and holding reputation. Zurich (about 19.61%) offers the deepest financial-services ecosystem. Geneva (about 14.70%) suits international HQs and UN-proximate activity.
How long does it take to form a Swiss company end-to-end?
A GmbH typically completes in 2 to 4 weeks, an AG in 3 to 6 weeks, measured from notary appointment to Handelsregister entry and operating-account opening. Foreign UBO bank CDD may add 5 to 30 days.
Do I need a Swiss bank account before registering the company?
Yes for AG and GmbH formations. Paid-in capital must be deposited in a Swiss capital-consignment account and blocked until Handelsregister entry. The operating account is opened after registration.
When does a foreign-owned Swiss company need to register for VAT?
Once worldwide taxable turnover reaches CHF 100,000 per year (MWSTG art. 10). Foreign-based businesses making any Swiss supply are liable from the first franc of Swiss turnover if worldwide turnover exceeds CHF 100,000.
Does Swiss law require a Swiss-resident director?
Yes. At least one person with sole or joint signature must reside in Switzerland (OR art. 718.4 for AG; OR art. 814.3 for GmbH). The role may be filled by a founder who relocates, a Swiss co-founder, or a professional nominee director.
Will forming a Swiss company automatically grant me a residence permit?
No. Permit issuance is separate. EU/EFTA nationals rely on free-movement registration. Non-EU nationals must apply for a B permit subject to annual federal quotas, and self-employed applicants must prove economic interest to Switzerland under FNA art. 19.
What ongoing obligations does a foreign-owned Swiss company have after formation?
AHV/IV/EO social-insurance registration for founder-directors, annual accounts under the Swiss Code of Obligations, cantonal plus federal corporate tax filings, VAT filings if registered, UBO disclosure under the revised GwG, and a statutory audit once ordinary-audit thresholds are exceeded (OR art. 727).
Are these guides legal advice?
No. The guides are informational orientation based on Swiss federal sources and our team’s experience. They are not a substitute for tailored legal, tax or accounting advice. For a private review of your situation, contact our team.
Maintained by our Swiss-law team, verified against federal sources (OR, MWSTG, ESTV, SEM, FINMA, zefix). The guides are orientation, not legal advice. For a private review of your situation, talk to our team.
Not sure where to start?
Talk through your Swiss setup with us.
A 30-minute call to map your entity, canton, permit sequence and realistic timeline. No price-list, no template deck. We scope every engagement on the call.