Company registration/sale in Switzerland, legal services for companies in all cantons, opening bank accounts
Why businesses prefer Switzerland
Switzerland is traditionally regarded as a highly favorable country for doing business. The country’s recent history demonstrates the stability of its banking and political systems, which consistently create the most favorable conditions for attracting foreign capital. As a result, a businessperson who registers a company in Switzerland feels particularly secure and comfortable.
This is facilitated by:
Registering or purchasing a company in Switzerland is a promising and financially beneficial idea. Our company can help you with this.
Why Businesses Prefer Switzerland
According to the constitution, any foreign person can own a business in Switzerland or earn financial profit in the country.
The process of opening a company is highly simplified, but to take full advantage of it, knowledge of the language and local legislation is necessary. This is especially important because documents are submitted to the administration of a specific canton, and the laws of the cantons differ significantly, including in terms of registration costs and taxation. The company itself must have a unique name registered in the state register and a resident of the country as the managing director. Therefore, it is better to entrust all legal work to a specialist.
Registration Steps:
Required Documents originals and notarized copies of:
Types of Legal Entities in Switzerland
To open a company in Switzerland, a resident director who will represent the company must be appointed. A significant advantage of registering a company in Switzerland is the possibility of contributing share capital in cryptocurrency.
Two types of companies are available for non-residents in Switzerland:
GmbH
To create a limited liability company, capital ranging from CHF 20,000 to CHF 2 million is required. It can be presented in the form of movable or immovable property and is fully paid upon registration. This is a flexible structure with a lower initial capital requirement. As the name suggests, in the event of bankruptcy, the founders risk only the invested capital, excluding personal assets.
Registration in the commercial register is required. Information about all founders is provided. The transfer of shares to third parties is possible only with the approval of at least two-thirds of the founders or in accordance with the company’s charter, by making changes to the commercial register with subsequent notarial certification.
AG
The minimum capital required for registering a public limited company is CHF 100,000. It can also be presented in the form of corporate assets. At least 50% must be paid upon registration. The share capital is a fairly large sum, but shareholders are free to manage it at their discretion. To settle debts to creditors in the event of bankruptcy, the corporate shares owned by shareholders are used. Responsibility for managing the public limited company lies with the appointed director.
Shareholders are not required to provide personal data, maintaining anonymity. Exceptions apply only to directors and authorized signatories. Shares can be freely sold or transferred to third parties without the need to contact the commercial register or a notary.
Swiss banking system
Any Swiss bank typically operates as a branch of a large financial institution. The owner of a Swiss company can open a corporate technical account in any of them, with a high level of capital confidentiality maintained. This is one of the main reasons why foreign businesses seek to open accounts in Swiss banks. A third of the world’s capital is managed by Swiss banks.
However, any bank will necessarily check your financial history and require confirmation of the legality of the capital’s origin.
Taxation in Switzerland
The local democratic taxation system provides significant competitive advantages. Everyone who has opened or purchased a company in Switzerland is convinced of this. The total corporate taxes amount to much less than in other European countries, making the investment climate here comparable to that of Singapore or Hong Kong, even considering the differences between cantons. For example, the VAT rate here is only 7.7%.
Other total taxes consist of three parts: federal, at a rate of 8.5%, cantonal, and municipal. Together, they amount to between 13% and 30%, depending on the canton and municipality.
Financial reporting in Switzerland
The reporting period equals the financial year. Any company in Switzerland reports on profit and loss items. Reporting is prepared according to Swiss GAAP, IFRS, FER standards and is not public.
Two types of audits are provided depending on the type and size of the company. With shareholder consent, a company with fewer than 20 employees and an annual turnover of less than CHF 2 million can be completely exempted from audits.
What you get by buying or starting a business in Switzerland
In summary, let’s briefly list the main advantages of doing business in Switzerland:
Opportunities for Ukrainian Entrepreneurs in Switzerland
Ukraine and Switzerland have signed over 30 bilateral and numerous multilateral agreements, including those preventing double taxation. These agreements can be found on the official website of the Swiss Ministry.
If you want to open a company or a bank account, register a firm, or buy a business in Switzerland, you will find the most favorable conditions for this.
Our company can help you navigate all the legal intricacies and handle the registration paperwork.
How Our Company Can Help
Our areas of expertise include investments, business sales and purchases, real estate, and business immigration. We specialize in opening companies and bank accounts in Switzerland and offer comprehensive company management services. For more detailed information, please consult our manager.
Our specialists will provide you with extensive consultations on legal and financial matters, help you choose the right canton, and prepare a preliminary cost estimate.
Why Choose Us
There are three reasons:
Swiss companies currently available for sale
1. Company Registered in 2009 in Ticino Canton. Open accounts in the local UBS bank (accounts operate with CHF, EUR, USD). The director is a local Swiss citizen. Originally intended for marketing, the project did not materialize, but the company remained active and is in good standing.
2. Company Registered in 2012. Share capital of CHF 20,000, fully paid and withdrawn. The accounting is in order, and reports are up to date. A bank account is open with UBS. The company’s activities include consulting, selling new and used goods for children and teenagers, warehousing, any secondary activities in retail sales, and running a soft drinks bar. The company has no debts or outstanding obligations, and its VAT payer status is confirmed. Re-registration takes 6-12 weeks from the date of submission of all documents. Any changes to the charter (activities, name, address, dividend distribution, etc.) are made during the re-registration process.
3. Company Registered in 1993. Share capital of CHF 250,000, of which CHF 100,000 has been paid and withdrawn. The accounting is in order, and reports are up to date. A bank account was previously opened with BCVs but is currently closed. The company’s activities include business management, financial participation in the capital of small and medium-sized companies in the construction industry, repair, hotel equipment or services, and management. The company has no debts or outstanding obligations, and VAT payer status is currently not active. Registration is done by notification and takes a maximum of 2 weeks. Re-registration takes 3-4 weeks from the date of submission of all documents. Any changes to the charter (activities, name, address, dividend distribution, etc.) are made during the re-registration process.
To find out the price of the company you are interested in, please contact our manager. The price includes company re-registration, assistance with opening a settlement account, or re-registration of an existing one.