Distinguish authorisation and AML supervision
FINMA’s FinTech guidance distinguishes financial-market authorisation from anti-money-laundering supervision, including through self-regulatory organisations. Identify which status the provider claims and verify that specific status against the appropriate official information.
For custody, ask how assets are held, who controls the keys and what the customer’s claim would be if the provider failed. A familiar Swiss address or AML affiliation alone does not answer those questions or establish permission for every financial activity.
Match the contract to the register
Find the legal name, registration number and jurisdiction in the customer agreement. Search the official register directly, rather than following a badge or screenshot supplied by the provider. Compare the name and identifiers character by character. A trading brand can operate through several entities with different permissions.
Read the status, activity scope, restrictions and any published notices. Record the date of your check. Ask which entity holds fiat funds, which entity controls crypto and which entity owes you a withdrawal. If the documentation names different companies, resolve that difference before depositing.
Keep an evidence file
Save the register entry and the dated terms offered to you. Record the domain, customer-support route and complaint process. Check regulator warnings for the entity and possible clones, but do not treat absence from a warning list as approval.
Repeat the check when the provider changes your agreement, adds a product or transfers your account. Spot exchange, derivatives, staking and custody can have different regulatory treatment. Verify the service you will actually use.
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.