Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority

Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) is the Swiss government body responsible for financial regulation. This includes the supervision of banks, insurance companies, stock exchanges and securities dealers, as well as other financial intermediaries in Switzerland.

FINMA is an independent institution with its own legal personality based in Bern. It is institutionally, functionally and financially independent from the central federal administration and the Federal Department of Finance and reports directly to the Swiss parliament.

FINMA is called German: Eidgenössische Finanzmarktaufsicht, French: Autorité fédérale de surveillance des marchés financiers, Italian: Autorità federale di vigilanza sui mercati finanziari.

Anne Héritier Lachat was Chairwoman of the Board of Directors from 2011 until January 1, 2016 when Thomas Bauer, former Ernst & Young partner became Chairman.

History

FINMA was founded on the 22 June 2007 with the passing of the Federal Act on the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMASA). This merged the Federal Office of Private Insurance (FOPI), the Swiss Federal Banking Commission (in German initials, EBK) and the Anti-Money Laundering Control Authority into one agency that is responsible for all financial regulation in Switzerland.