FINMA’s mandate

Being an integrated supervisory authority, FINMA oversees banks, securities firms, insurance companies, financial market infrastructures, collective investment scheme products and institutions, and entities under the Financial Services Act and the Financial Institutions Act, in addition to insurance intermediaries. It carries out its activity independently and in a consistent manner. Its staff are responsible, have high standards of integrity and are able to deliver results. In its role as supervisor, FINMA adopts a risk-oriented approach. Its activities cover the following areas:

Authorisation

FINMA is responsible for licensing companies operating in the sectors it supervises.

Supervision

FINMA monitors ongoing compliance with statutory regulations and licensing requirements. It is also responsible for combating money laundering. In addition, together with the trading venues, it supervises compliance with market conduct rules as well as the disclosure of shareholdings at listed companies.

Enforcement

To enforce supervisory law, FINMA conducts proceedings, issues rulings, imposes administrative sanctions and is the body to which appeals against decisions of the Swiss Takeover Board may be brought. Where wrongdoing is suspected, it files criminal complaints with the competent criminal authorities.

Resolution

FINMA is responsible for the restructuring proceedings and bankruptcies of companies subject to financial market laws.

Regulation

Where it is authorised to do so and when necessary to meet its supervisory objectives, FINMA issues its own ordinances. It also publishes circulars detailing the interpretation and application of financial market law.

International activities

FINMA fulfils the cross-border tasks that are related to its supervisory activity. It represents Switzerland in international fora and cooperates with foreign regulators.