Banking supervision

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class="flyout-column-left-wrap e-text"> <div class="flyout-column-left-title">Authorised or registered institutions, persons and products</div> <div class="flyout-column-text-box"> <div class="text-image pull-left"> <img src="/~/media/finma/images/menuicons/finma_icon_bewilligung.png?h=64&iar=0&w=64&hash=C59AF4AB210953925B44A1CBEDE5FD8F" alt="Authorisation icon" width="64" height="64" /> </div> <div class="flyout-column-text">These companies, persons and products have a licence and are permitted to operate on the financial market.</div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="g-cell s-1of3 flyout-column-center"> <div class="flyout-column-center-wrap"> <span class="flyout-column-title">Getting authorised</span> <ul class="flyout-column-list" role="menu"> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/authorisation/authorisation-overview/" title="Authorisation" role="menuitem">Authorisation</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/authorisation/types-of-licensing/" title="Types of authorisation" role="menuitem">Types of authorisation</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/authorisation/banks-and-securities-firms/" title="Banks and securities firms" role="menuitem">Banks and securities firms</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/authorisation/insurers/" title="Insurers" role="menuitem">Insurers</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/authorisation/insurance-intermediaries/" title="Insurance intermediaries" role="menuitem">Insurance intermediaries</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/authorisation/asset-management/" title="Asset management" role="menuitem">Asset management</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/authorisation/portfolio-managers-and-trustees/" title="Portfolio managers and trustees" role="menuitem">Portfolio managers and trustees</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/authorisation/supervisory-organisations/" title="Supervisory organisations" role="menuitem">Supervisory organisations</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/authorisation/vertretungen-auslaendischer-finanzinstitute-gemaess-finig/" title="Representative offices of financial institutions based outside Switzerland under FinIA" role="menuitem">Representative offices of financial institutions based outside Switzerland under FinIA</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/authorisation/self-regulatory-organisations-sros/" title="Self-regulatory organisations (SROs)" role="menuitem">Self-regulatory organisations (SROs)</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/authorisation/financial-market-infrastructures-and-foreign-market-participants/" title="Financial market infrastructures and foreign market participants" role="menuitem">Financial market infrastructures and foreign market participants</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/authorisation/rating-agencies/" title="Rating agencies" role="menuitem">Rating agencies</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/authorisation/registrierungsstelle/" title="Registration body" role="menuitem">Registration body</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/authorisation/ombudsmen-for-financial-service-providers/" title="Ombudsmen for financial service providers" role="menuitem">Ombudsmen for financial service providers</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/authorisation/pruefstelle-fuer-prospekte/" title="Reviewing body for prospectuses" role="menuitem">Reviewing body for prospectuses</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/authorisation/fintech/" title="FinTech" role="menuitem">FinTech</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="g-cell s-1of3 flyout-column-right"> <div class="flyout-column-right-wrap"> <a class="flyout-column-link" href="/en/finma-public/authorised-institutions-individuals-and-products/">Authorised or registered institutions, persons and products</a> <div class="flyout-column-text">These companies, persons and products have a licence and are permitted to operate on the financial market.</div> <a class="flyout-column-link" href="/en/finma-public/warnungen/">Warning list</a> <div class="flyout-column-text">These companies are not authorised and may be engaging in financial market activity without the requisite licence.</div> </div> </div> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="main-list-item js-main-list-item" role="presentation" aria-haspopup="true"> <h2 class="main-list-link js-main-list-link state-active">Supervision</h2> <ul class="main-flyout js-main-flyout" role="menu" aria-expanded="false"> <li class="g-row" role="presentation"> <div class="g-cell s-1of3 flyout-column-left"> <div class="flyout-column-left-wrap e-text"> <a class="flyout-column-link" href="/en/supervision/our-approach-to-supervision/">Our approach to supervision</a> <div class="flyout-column-text-box"> <div class="text-image pull-left"> <img src="/~/media/finma/images/menuicons/finma_icon_ueberwachung.png?h=64&iar=0&w=64&hash=EBB252A54B6BD7EA0CDB0475CA196855" alt="Supervision icon" width="64" height="64" /> </div> <div class="flyout-column-text">FINMA’s core task is prudential supervision of the financial market. It also uses private audit companies to extend its reach.</div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="g-cell s-1of3 flyout-column-center"> <div class="flyout-column-center-wrap"> <span class="flyout-column-title">Information about supervision of…</span> <ul class="flyout-column-list" role="menu"> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/supervision/our-approach-to-supervision/" title="Our approach to supervision" role="menuitem">Our approach to supervision</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/supervision/cross-sector-issues/" title="Cross-sector issues" role="menuitem">Cross-sector issues</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/supervision/banks-and-securities-firms/" title="Banks and securities firms" role="menuitem">Banks and securities firms</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/supervision/insurers/" title="Insurers" role="menuitem">Insurers</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/supervision/versicherungsvermittler/" title="Insurance intermediaries" role="menuitem">Insurance intermediaries</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/supervision/asset-management/" title="Asset Management" role="menuitem">Asset Management</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/supervision/portfolio-managers-and-trustees/" title="Portfolio managers and trustees" role="menuitem">Portfolio managers and trustees</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/supervision/supervisory-organisations/" title="Supervisory organisations" role="menuitem">Supervisory organisations</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/supervision/self-regulatory-organisations-sros/" title="Self-regulatory organisations (SROs)" role="menuitem">Self-regulatory organisations (SROs)</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/supervision/financial-market-infrastructures/" title="Financial market infrastructures" role="menuitem">Financial market infrastructures</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/supervision/central-mortgage-bond-institutions/" title="Central mortgage bond institutions" role="menuitem">Central mortgage bond institutions</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/supervision/fintech/" title="FinTech" role="menuitem">FinTech</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="g-cell s-1of3 flyout-column-right"> <div class="flyout-column-right-wrap"> <a class="flyout-column-link" href="/en/supervision/banks-and-securities-firms/categorisation/">Risk categories in the banking sector</a> <div class="flyout-column-text">FINMA assigns banks to different risk categories.</div> <a class="flyout-column-link" href="/en/supervision/insurers/categorisation/">Risk categories in the insurance sector</a> <div class="flyout-column-text">FINMA assigns insurers to different risk categories.</div> </div> </div> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="main-list-item js-main-list-item" role="presentation" aria-haspopup="true"> <h2 class="main-list-link js-main-list-link">Enforcement</h2> <ul class="main-flyout js-main-flyout" role="menu" aria-expanded="false"> <li class="g-row" role="presentation"> <div class="g-cell s-1of3 flyout-column-left"> <div class="flyout-column-left-wrap e-text"> <a class="flyout-column-link" href="/en/enforcement/all-about-enforcement/">Enforcing supervisory law</a> <div class="flyout-column-text-box"> <div class="text-image pull-left"> <img src="/~/media/finma/images/menuicons/finma_icon_durchsetzung.png?h=64&iar=0&w=64&hash=DD5B067C17728DE511F0D115D366BC67" alt="Enforcement icon" width="64" height="64" /> </div> <div class="flyout-column-text"><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Where necessary, FINMA enforces supervisory law using coercive measures under administrative law. Find out about its powers, approach and measures for dealing with violations of the law here.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="g-cell s-1of3 flyout-column-center"> <div class="flyout-column-center-wrap"> <span class="flyout-column-title">Enforcement topics</span> <ul class="flyout-column-list" role="menu"> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/enforcement/all-about-enforcement/" title="All about Enforcement" role="menuitem">All about Enforcement</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/enforcement/licence-holders/" title="Licence holders" role="menuitem">Licence holders</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/enforcement/unauthorised-activities/" title="Unauthorised activities" role="menuitem">Unauthorised activities</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/enforcement/market-supervision/" title="Market supervision" role="menuitem">Market supervision</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/enforcement/enforcement-tools/" title="Enforcement tools" role="menuitem">Enforcement tools</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/enforcement/database-for-assessing-fitness-and-propriety-requirements/" title="Database for assessing fitness and propriety requirements" role="menuitem">Database for assessing fitness and propriety requirements</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/enforcement/recovery-and-resolution/" title="Recovery and resolution" role="menuitem">Recovery and resolution</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/enforcement/national-and-international-cooperation/" title="National and international cooperation" role="menuitem">National and international cooperation</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/enforcement/parties-rights-and-obligations/" title="Rights and obligations" role="menuitem">Rights and obligations</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/enforcement/case-reports-and-court-decisions/" title="Case reports and court decisions" role="menuitem">Case reports and court decisions</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="g-cell s-1of3 flyout-column-right"> <div class="flyout-column-right-wrap"> <a class="flyout-column-link" href="/en/documentation/finma-publications/kennzahlen-und-statistiken/statistiken/enforcement/">Enforcement report</a> <div class="flyout-column-text">The enforcement report contains anonymised case studies that offer a more in-depth insight into FINMA’s enforcement activities.</div> <a class="flyout-column-link" href="/en/finma-public/warnungen/">Warning list</a> <div class="flyout-column-text">This is a list of companies and individuals that may be operating without the requisite FINMA authorisation.</div> </div> </div> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="main-list-item js-main-list-item" role="presentation" aria-haspopup="true"> <h2 class="main-list-link js-main-list-link">Documentation</h2> <ul class="main-flyout js-main-flyout" role="menu" aria-expanded="false"> <li class="g-row" role="presentation"> <div class="g-cell s-1of3 flyout-column-left"> <div class="flyout-column-left-wrap e-text"> <a class="flyout-column-link" href="/en/documentation/finma-s-legal-basis/">FINMA’s legal basis</a> <div class="flyout-column-text-box"> <div class="text-image pull-left"> <img src="/~/media/finma/images/menuicons/finma_icon_dokumentation.png?h=64&iar=0&w=64&hash=42C3971FE452D2643DEB60C25197EEC0" alt="Documentation icon" width="64" height="64" /> </div> <div class="flyout-column-text">The financial market laws and the Financial Market Supervision Act provide the basis for FINMA’s activities. FINMA reports in detail on the fulfilment of its aims.</div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="g-cell s-1of3 flyout-column-center"> <div class="flyout-column-center-wrap"> <span class="flyout-column-title">Information on…</span> <ul class="flyout-column-list" role="menu"> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/documentation/finma-s-legal-basis/" title="Legal basis for FINMA’s activities" role="menuitem">Legal basis for FINMA’s activities</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/documentation/legal-basis/" title="Legal basis" role="menuitem">Legal basis</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/documentation/circulars/" title="Circulars" role="menuitem">Circulars</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/documentation/consultations/" title="Consultations and evaluations" role="menuitem">Consultations and evaluations</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/documentation/finma-s-position/" title="FINMA position statements" role="menuitem">FINMA position statements</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/documentation/finma-guidance/" title="FINMA Guidance" role="menuitem">FINMA Guidance</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/documentation/finma-publications/" title="FINMA publications" role="menuitem">FINMA publications</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/documentation/finma-videos/" title="FINMA videos" role="menuitem">FINMA videos</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/documentation/dossier/" title="Dossiers" role="menuitem">Dossiers</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/documentation/enforcement-reporting/" title="Enforcement reporting" role="menuitem">Enforcement reporting</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/documentation/insurance-law-rulings/" title="Insurance law rulings" role="menuitem">Insurance law rulings</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/documentation/self-regulation/" title="Self-regulation" role="menuitem">Self-regulation</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/documentation/international-sanctions-and-combating-terrorism/" title="Sanctions and FATF statements" role="menuitem">Sanctions and FATF statements</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/documentation/archiv/" title="Archive" role="menuitem">Archive</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="g-cell s-1of3 flyout-column-right"> <div class="flyout-column-right-wrap"> <a class="flyout-column-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.admin.ch/opc/en/classified-compilation/20052624/index.html">Financial Market Supervision Act</a> <div class="flyout-column-text">The legal basis for FINMA as an authority, setting out its tasks and powers.</div> <a class="flyout-column-link" href="/en/documentation/finma-publications/annual-reports--and-financial-statements/">Annual report and financial statements</a> <div class="flyout-column-text">FINMA gives a full account of its activities in its annual report.</div> </div> </div> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="main-list-item js-main-list-item" role="presentation" aria-haspopup="true"> <h2 class="main-list-link js-main-list-link">FINMA</h2> <ul class="main-flyout js-main-flyout" role="menu" aria-expanded="false"> <li class="g-row" role="presentation"> <div class="g-cell s-1of3 flyout-column-left"> <div class="flyout-column-left-wrap e-text"> <a class="flyout-column-link" href="/en/finma/finma-an-overview/">FINMA – an overview</a> <div class="flyout-column-text-box"> <div class="text-image pull-left"> <img src="/~/media/finma/images/menuicons/finma_icon_behoerde.png?h=64&iar=0&w=64&hash=ED57AB81A75632D24584A132CD7D6DE6" alt="FINMA icon" width="64" height="64" /> </div> <div class="flyout-column-text">As an independent supervisor of the Swiss financial market, FINMA is institutionally, functionally and financially independent.</div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="g-cell s-1of3 flyout-column-center"> <div class="flyout-column-center-wrap"> <span class="flyout-column-title"></span> <ul class="flyout-column-list" role="menu"> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/finma/finma-an-overview/" title="FINMA – an overview " role="menuitem">FINMA – an overview </a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/finma/supervisory-objectives/" title="Supervisory objectives" role="menuitem">Supervisory objectives</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/finma/organisation/" title="Organisation" role="menuitem">Organisation</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/finma/working-at-finma/" title="Working at FINMA" role="menuitem">Working at FINMA</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/finma/activities/" title="Activities" role="menuitem">Activities</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/finma/auditing/" title="Auditing" role="menuitem">Auditing</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/finma/finma-mandataries/" title="FINMA mandataries" role="menuitem">FINMA mandataries</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/finma/national-cooperation/" title="National cooperation" role="menuitem">National cooperation</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/finma/international-activities/" title="International activities" role="menuitem">International activities</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/finma/digital-exchange/" title="Digital exchange" role="menuitem">Digital exchange</a> </li> <li role="presentation"> <a href="/en/finma/making-a-report/" title="Making a report" role="menuitem">Making a report</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="g-cell s-1of3 flyout-column-right"> <div class="flyout-column-right-wrap"> <a class="flyout-column-link" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="/~/media/finma/dokumente/dokumentencenter/myfinma/6finmapublic/finma-ein-portraet.pdf?sc_lang=en&hash=0CADEB898C65A2CEAF6A410126A5190A">FINMA: A Portrait</a> <div class="flyout-column-text"><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span>Supervision of the financial sector calls for a strong, competent, independent regulator. This brochure illustrates how FINMA meets these criteria.</span></p></div> <a class="flyout-column-link" href="/en/documentation/finma-publications/annual-reports--and-financial-statements/">Annual Report</a> <div class="flyout-column-text">FINMA accounts for its supervisory activities in its annual report and annual financial statements.</div> </div> </div> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="finma-public-item" style="display: block;" role="presentation" aria-haspopup="true"> <a class="e-btn btn-finma-public" role="menuitem" title="FINMA Public" href="/en/finma-public/">FINMA Public</a> </li> </ul> </div> </nav> </div> </header> <div class="l-body l-sub"> <div class="l-background"> </div> <div class="l-content-wrapper l-wrap"> <div class="g-row"> <div class="l-bread"> <div class="mod-breadcrumb"> <ul class="breadcrumb-list"> <li><a href="/en/">Home </a></li> <li><a href="/en/supervision/">Supervision </a></li> <li><a href="/en/supervision/banks-and-securities-firms/">Banks and securities firms </a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="g-cell s-flex"> <div class="l-content l-right--left"> <div class="l-main"> <div class="e-text text-heading-underline"> <h1>Banking supervision</h1> </div> <div class="mod mod-content"> <div class="e-text"> <div class="text-lead-intro"> FINMA exercises prudential and risk-oriented supervision over banks and securities firms. The more important a licensed institution, the more intensive the supervision. External audit firms play a key role. </div> </div> </div> <div class="mod mod-content"> <div class="e-text"> <div class="text-rte--infobox g-row"> <div class="text-rte g-cell s-flex"> <div class="text-infobox"><ul> <li > <a class="e-text text-link-external bold" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.admin.ch/opc/de/classified-compilation/19340083/index.html">Banking Act</a> </li> <li > <a class="e-text text-link-external bold" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.admin.ch/opc/de/federal-gazette/2018/3557.pdf">Financial Institutions Act (FinIA) (in German)</a> </li> <li > <a class="e-text text-link-external bold" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.admin.ch/opc/en/classified-compilation/20052624/index.html">Financial Market Supervision Act, FINMASA</a> </li> <li > <a class="e-text text-link-external bold" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.swissbanking.ch/en/home/standpunkte-link/regulierung-richtlinien.htm">Swiss Bankers Association (SwissBanking) </a> </li> <li > <a class="e-text text-link-external bold" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.rab-asr.ch/#/?lang=en">Federal Audit Oversight Authority (FAOA)</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="text-page"> <p>Licensed banks and securities firms are supervised by FINMA. Supervision <a href="/en/finma/supervisory-objectives/">aims</a> at protecting creditors and maintaining the stability of the financial system. It thus centres on ensuring that licensing, as well as other legal and regulatory requirements are met at all times.<br><br>The regulatory framework for supervision includes the Financial Market Supervision Act (<abbr data-addtext='Financial Market Supervision Act' title='Financial Market Supervision Act' class="e-text" rel="tooltip">FINMASA</abbr>), the Banking Act (BankA), the <abbr data-addtext='The Financial Institutions Act (FinIA) regulates the operational requirements for financial institutions.' title='The Financial Institutions Act (FinIA) regulates the operational requirements for financial institutions.' class="e-text" rel="tooltip">Financial Institutions Act</abbr> (<abbr data-addtext='Financial Institutions Act' title='Financial Institutions Act' class="e-text" rel="tooltip">FinIA</abbr>) and their implementing provisions. Additional details are set out in FINMA circulars. Further, there is <a href="/en/documentation/self-regulation/">self-regulation</a> within the sector, one example being the guidelines issued by the Swiss Bankers Association. </p><h2>Risk-oriented supervision</h2><p> FINMA has limited human resources and thus follows a risk-oriented supervisory approach focusing on institutions that require greater attention owing to their risk profile. All licensed banks and securities firms are assigned to <a href="/en/supervision/banks-and-securities-firms/categorisation/">supervisory categories</a>. Every institution also undergoes a dynamic rating process. The supervisory category and rating determine the intensity of supervision. </p><h2>Direct and indirect supervision</h2><p> FINMA has a variety of <a href="/en/supervision/banks-and-securities-firms/supervisory-instruments/">supervisory instruments</a> at its disposal, some of which it applies itself on site. It also relies on <a href="/en/supervision/cross-sector-issues/auditing/">audit firms</a> licensed by the Federal Audit Oversight Authority to execute some of the direct supervision workload by conducting periodic regulatory audits under contract to supervised institutions and in line with FINMA requirements. </p><h2> Supervision of financial groups</h2><p> Institutions that form an economic unit with other companies active in the financial sector are additionally subject to consolidated supervision that takes account of the entire financial group’s risks <abbr data-addtext='Supervisory Organisation' title='Supervisory Organisation' class="e-text" rel="tooltip">so</abbr> as to be able to identify their potential impact on a licensed institution and order appropriate measures. </p><h2>Enforcement</h2><p> When shortcomings arise and licensed institutions break the rules, FINMA orders appropriate measures to <a href="/en/enforcement/all-about-enforcement/">enforce supervisory law</a>.</p> 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