What is the minimum capital for a Swiss AG?

CHF 100,000 minimum. At least CHF 50,000 must be paid in at formation. The remaining CHF 50,000 can be called up later. A GmbH requires CHF 20,000, which must be fully paid at incorporation.

How long does company formation take in Zürich?

Typical timeline: 3–4 weeks from engagement to operating company. This includes articles preparation, notarisation, capital deposit, Commercial Register entry, and post-registration setup (VAT, employer, payroll).

What accounting setup does a new company need?

Double-entry bookkeeping from day one (Art. 957 CO), chart of accounts, accounting software (Bexio recommended), VAT registration if applicable, payroll setup, and first tax return filing. We handle all of this as part of our formation package.

Company Formation

GmbH & AG formation in Canton Zürich

Canton Zürich is home to more than 40,000 registered companies. GmbH from CHF 20,000. AG from CHF 100,000. We handle notarisation, Commercial Register entry, bank account, and full post-formation accounting setup. Typical timeline: 3–4 weeks.

GmbH vs. AG

	GmbH	AG
Min. capital	CHF 20,000 (fully paid)	CHF 100,000 (min. CHF 50,000 paid)
Ownership	Publicly visible in register	Not disclosed in register
Governance	Managing director(s)	Board of directors
Best for	SMEs, startups, subsidiaries	Larger enterprises, investor structures

Step-by-step formation

Articles of association (Statuten) — we draft the Statuten tailored to your business structure, shareholder arrangement, and purpose clause.

Capital deposit account — open a blocked account at a Swiss bank. Funds are released after Commercial Register entry.

Notarisation (öffentliche Beurkundung) — the articles and formation deed are notarised by a Swiss notary. We arrange and attend.

Commercial Register entry — the company receives legal personality. UID (company identification number) issued.

Post-registration setup — VAT registration, employer AHV registration, bookkeeping setup, payroll configuration, and first tax advice.

Fintech & blockchain

Zürich is Switzerland's leading fintech hub — major banks, challenger fintechs, and blockchain startups operate in the same ecosystem. We guide fintech and blockchain companies through formation including FINMA licensing considerations, SRO/AML membership, regulatory compliance, and digital asset accounting under Swiss law.

Formation costs

Notary fees

CHF 1,500–3,000

Commercial Register

CHF 600–1,200

Our advisory fee

From CHF 3,500

Total GmbH formation

CHF 5,500–8,000

Excludes the share capital (CHF 20,000 for GmbH / CHF 100,000 for AG) — which remains in your company.

Frequently asked

Formation — your questions

Total cost typically CHF 5,500–8,000 including notary fees (CHF 1,500–3,000), Commercial Register (CHF 600–1,200), and our advisory fee (from CHF 3,500). This excludes the CHF 20,000 minimum share capital, which remains in the company and is not a cost.

CHF 100,000 minimum. At least CHF 50,000 must be paid in at formation. The remaining CHF 50,000 can be called up later by the board. A GmbH requires CHF 20,000, which must be fully paid at incorporation.

Typical timeline: 3–4 weeks from our engagement letter to an operating company. This includes articles preparation (1 week), notarisation appointment (available within days), Commercial Register entry (1–2 weeks), and post-registration setup.

Double-entry bookkeeping from day one (Art. 957 CO), a Swiss chart of accounts, accounting software (we recommend Bexio for most SMEs), VAT registration if applicable, payroll setup, and first tax return filing. We handle all of this as part of our post-formation package.

GmbH & AG formation in Canton Zürich

GmbH vs. AG

Step-by-step formation

Fintech & blockchain

Formation costs

Formation — your questions

After formation

Bookkeeping

Tax Advisory

Payroll

Ready to start your company?