Register company in Switzerland

What is the benefit of registering a company in Switzerland: Company features

Starting a business in Switzerland is the best option for entrepreneurs looking for trouble-free company registration and simple working conditions. The state also attracts business representatives with its stability in the legal, political, and economic spheres.

To discuss a project
Steps

01
Choosing a name for a future company in Switzerland

The client needs to provide 3 variant names of the company. We will check the availability of these variants for registration and offer free options for the final choice. If all three names are filled, we will ask for additional ones. Three names provision isn't a mandatory requirement, but will speed up the verification process.

02
Preparation of documents.

The client needs to prepare personal documents for company registration. Preparation can be carried out in parallel with the first stage. The exact list of documents depends on the characteristics of the future company. Usually, a copy of the passport and confirmation of the address of the company's participants, as well as a power of attorney, should be provided.

03
Preparation of registration forms.

A package of documents is formed for submission to the Register based on the data provided by the client.

04
Submission of documents for registration

The collected package of documents is submitted to the Register. After that, the documents are processed by the registrar and the company is entered into the Register database.

05
Obtaining confirmation of company registration.

After entering the company into the Register, you can see its registration data in it and if necessary order paper versions of the statutory documents with or without certification. The specialists of our company will help you with all the necessary certification (notarization, apostille) and translations into other languages, if necessary.

06
07
08

Shares and authorized capital

Standard currency
Swiss Franc
Minimum Declared Capital
No restrictions
Minimum issued capital
No restrictions
Bearer shares allowed
Not
Terms of payment of issued capital
No restrictions

General information

Square
91.00
Population
15 423.00
Capital
Valley
Unemployment rate
8.00
State structure
parliamentary democracy

Company registration Switzerland: The advantages of Swiss business

Entrepreneurship in the territory of Switzerland has many advantages:

  • Ease of managing a firm and conducting business.
  • A large selection of banks, their loyalty.
  • Stable legislation.
  • Flexible forms of business organization.
  • Simple accounting system.
  • Low taxes on profits in comparison with EU countries.
  • If an entrepreneur has decided to register a company in Switzerland as a joint-stock company, they can hide personal information.

Organizational and legal forms of business in Switzerland: Registering company in Switzerland

Business people often open a business in Switzerland in two legal forms:

  • Limited Liability Company (LLC)
  • Joint-stock company (JSC)

The feature of the LLC is that the owners of such companies risk only their investments. If the firm goes bankrupt, their assets will not be affected.

You can register your business in Switzerland if you meet the requirements for the authorized capital — at least 20 000 Swiss francs. In addition, you need to specify the founding shareholder and the executive director. The latter one must be a manager who has the signature authority in Switzerland and resides in this country. According to Swiss law, the founding partner and the director can be the same person.

To successfully register a joint-stock company, an authorized capital of at least 100,000 francs is necessary. Requirements for shareholders and directors are similar to LLC — there must be at least one shareholder and director, but both positions can be held by the same person. Keep in mind that regardless of the number of executive directors, most of them must reside in Switzerland.

The authorized capital can be used immediately after registering a company in Switzerland.

What determines the cost of company incorporation in Switzerland: Documents required

The cost of company formation in Switzerland depends on the list of documents, many of which require notary certification, thereby incurring additional costs.

Registering company in Switzerland implies submitting certified copies of your domestic and foreign passports. A bank reference may also be required.

Additional documents are:

  • Company's articles of association;
  • A bank statement of the company's authorized capital;
  • Information about the founders;
  • Office rental agreement;
  • Any other papers that may be required depending on the type of business you have chosen.

Opening a business in Switzerland: Features of bank accounts

Switzerland is one of the jurisdictions where many banks are available for business people to open an account. It is recommended to choose a bank based on the type of business activity of the company as this will determine the rates and the list of available services.

To register your business in Switzerland, you must pay the authorized capital. For this purpose, the bank will open a technical account for you. Funds can be used immediately after opening a company in Switzerland, but first, you need to inform the bank about your intentions and pass the complete procedure of legal entity verification.

Taxation and company registration in Switzerland

Depending on the canton in which you decide to run your business, the tax may vary. On average, it is about 16%. The minimum corporate tax is 4%, but the exemption applies only to holding activities.

If you are interested in the cantons with the lowest corporate tax rate, they are:

  • Zug — 11.91%
  • Nidwalden — 11.97%
  • Schaffhausen — 12.22%

If your company intends to work only with EU countries, there will be no value-added tax. Firms do not have to pay stamp duty and capital gains tax. There are no currency controls in the country as well.

Business registration in Switzerland and financial accounting

All Swiss companies must keep accounting records and store them in the firm's office. LLCs and JSCs must file an annual profit and loss account. Accounting statements are not public and can be prepared in accordance with international standards, such as IFRS.

Standard auditing must be conducted by firms with stock market traded shares or companies that must prepare consolidated financial statements. This list also includes all businesses that meet at least two of the following criteria:

  • Annual turnover exceeds CHF 20 million.
  • Total assets are at least 10 million francs.
  • More than 50 employees.

How to register a company in Switzerland

Entrepreneurs starting a business in Switzerland as a foreigner must do the following steps:

  • Choose and approve the name of the company.
  • Determine the desired location of the firm's office.
  • Create a memorandum of association and draw up a charter.
  • Open a technical account in a Swiss bank to deposit the authorized capital.
  • Deposit the funds and then receive a certificate from the bank.
  • Pass the entire procedure of company registration, with the corresponding entry in the state register.
  • Open a permanent bank account for the company.

You do not have to do it yourself because our specialists can set up a company in Switzerland. They will minimize your involvement in the process, at the same time providing the necessary consultations. For example, they will advise you on the most popular and profitable types of Swiss business today.

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