Topic
Crypto & Blockchain Regulation: Switzerland and Global
Crypto and blockchain regulation: Swiss FINMA guidance, AML rules and DLT law, plus major global policy (SEC, EU MiCA, UK, Asia) — source-linked news and Swiss explainers.
Understanding the topic
Switzerland regulates crypto-assets mainly through its existing financial-market laws rather than a single crypto statute. FINMA, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, classifies tokens by their economic function — broadly payment, utility and asset tokens, as set out in its 2018 ICO guidelines — and applies banking, securities, financial-infrastructure and anti-money-laundering rules accordingly.
Since 2021, amendments often called the DLT Act have added ledger-based securities to Swiss law and created a licence category for DLT trading facilities. Developments in the EU, especially MiCA, matter for Swiss firms serving EU clients, but they are a separate legal framework.
Primary references: FINMA — FinTech authorisation overview · FINMA — ICO guidelines press release (16 Feb 2018)
General information only — not legal, financial or investment advice.