The revised Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) and the new Federal Act on the Transparency of Legal Entities and the Identification of Beneficial Owners will enter into force on 1 October 2026, the Federal Council announced on Friday.

From that date, companies will be required to disclose their beneficial owners to the authorities. This will mark the beginning of the transitional periods for the registration of affected legal entities in the new transparency register. According to the Federal Council, the timing will allow the effectiveness of these measures to be assessed during the next Financial Action Task Force (FATF) country evaluation, scheduled for 2027–2028.

In addition, new due diligence requirements for certain advisory activities related to anti-money laundering efforts will come into effect. These measures will affect, among others, lawyers and notaries. The new provisions concerning public notary offices, however, will enter into force at a later stage, as the cantons must first adapt their legislation.

Parliament approved the revised Anti-Money Laundering Act and the new Transparency Act on Legal Entities in September 2025. According to the Federal Council, both laws are intended to close existing gaps in Switzerland’s framework for combating money laundering and terrorist financing.