Start with FINMA’s activity analysis
Identify deposits, payment transfers, custody, securities activity and any other financial service in the proposed product. FINMA offers information on FinTech authorisation and permits prospective applicants to present a project before applying. A clear activity description makes that discussion more useful.
The FinTech licence has defined conditions and requires a Swiss registered office and business activity in Switzerland. Do not assume it covers an entire exchange or token project. Ask which permissions and AML arrangements apply to each service and asset-handling model.
Describe the activity before choosing a company
Draw the customer journey from onboarding through deposit, trade, custody and withdrawal. State who owns or controls assets at every step, which entities provide each service and where customers live. Explain revenue, token rights, outsourcing, governance and the use of smart contracts.
Prepare a permission matrix that maps each activity to the authority and questions requiring an answer. Incorporation, a commercial trade licence, AML supervision and a financial-services authorisation are different parts of the analysis. Avoid selecting a route solely because a company can be incorporated quickly.
Build a decision-ready project file
Collect an ownership chart, management experience, financial forecast, custody design, AML controls, technology architecture and wind-down outline. These are preparation materials, not a complete statutory application checklist. Confirm the regulator’s actual submission requirements for your model.
Before taking customer money, obtain advice on the exact permissions, marketing constraints and launch conditions. Track unresolved issues, the official source consulted and the person responsible for closing each issue. Update the file when you change a token, customer market or custody arrangement.
Sources & scope
Official sources support the jurisdiction context. The working checklists are CryptoGov’s editorial preparation suggestions, not an exhaustive application or filing requirement. Confirm the rules and your circumstances before acting.