Switzerland's Federal Council has approved its first comprehensive strategy for combating money laundering and terrorist financing.
The initiative, adopted on 20 March 2026, establishes what the Federal Council describes as an effective, risk-based, cooperative approach to financial crime prevention. It consolidates existing strategies from the various offices and authorities involved in Switzerland's defence framework and provides a shared reference point for coordinated action at national level.
Priorities and implementation measures
According to the official press release, the strategy identifies several focus areas for the coming years. A transparency register, approved by Parliament, is to be introduced and operationalised. Alongside this, the authorities plan to develop practical instruments for criminal prosecution and to strengthen supervisory capabilities.
Moreover, several improvements to existing data infrastructure are also planned, as is the preparation of Switzerland's third national risk assessment, a process designed to identify emerging ML and terrorist financing risks more effectively. Cooperation is identified as a central pillar: between federal units, between public authorities and the private sector, and within the private sector itself. The strategy also addresses asset recovery, highlighting the need for continuous adaptation of the instruments and approaches used in this area.
In addition, the initiative is directed primarily at the offices and authorities comprising the coordinating group on combating ML, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing (CGMF), the interagency body responsible for aligning Switzerland's response to financial crime.
Alignment with broader national commitments
The AML/CFT strategy is closely aligned with Switzerland's national strategy for combating organised crime, which the Federal Council adopted at the end of 2025. Together, the two frameworks reflect an effort to coordinate Switzerland's response to financial crime across both domestic enforcement and international obligations.
Switzerland's financial centre has long operated under the scrutiny of international bodies such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which periodically evaluates member jurisdictions on the strength of their AML/CFT regimes. With this in mind, the new strategy signals the Federal Council's intention to maintain and develop Switzerland's standing within that internationally recognised framework, extending its scope to encompass proliferation financing alongside the more established categories of money laundering and terrorist financing.
By providing a comprehensive and publicly articulated overview for the first time, the Federal Council aims to improve coordination of national measures, support a shared understanding of financial crime risks, and reinforce Switzerland's commitment to combating illicit financial flows at both the domestic and international levels.
