Who is in scope?
LETA requires most Swiss legal entities, and some foreign ones with a Swiss nexus, to identify their beneficial owners and report them to the federal Transparency Register.
Swiss legal entities
Aktiengesellschaften (AG), GmbHs, cooperatives, and most other entities domiciled in Switzerland are in scope. A beneficial owner is any natural person holding at least 25% of the capital or voting rights, directly or indirectly, or who otherwise controls the entity.
Foundations and associations
Swiss foundations and associations are in scope, with their beneficial owners determined by the persons who ultimately control them — founders, named beneficiaries, classes of beneficiaries, and those able to direct the entity's assets.
Trusts and fiduciary structures
Where a trust or fiduciary arrangement sits in the control chain of a Swiss entity, the trust's roles — settlor, trustee, protector, beneficiaries, and other controllers — must be identified (Art. 15 TJPG + TJPV Art. 20).
Foreign entities with a Swiss nexus
Foreign-law entities with effective administration in Switzerland, or holding Swiss real estate, can fall within scope and may have to keep a register of their holders.
Exemptions
Listed companies, occupational pension institutions, and contractual investment funds benefit from reduced information requirements.