Form a Swiss AG Remotely
CHF 149 Setup · Notary CHF 0
Virtual Office Zug handles your Swiss AG formation from start to finish — 100% remotely. CHF 149 VOZ setup fee. Notary fees CHF 0 with our UBS & Baloise bundle offer. Sign your articles of association by email. No travel. No apostille. Done in approximately 4 weeks.
The Swiss AG — Switzerland’s most prestigious company structure
When a GmbH is not enough — the AG unlocks holding structures, equity investment and international credibility.
Maximum credibility
The Swiss AG is Switzerland’s gold-standard company form. It signals stability, professionalism and commitment to investors, partners and banks. Preferred by listed companies, family offices and international groups operating in Switzerland.
Ideal for holding structures
The Swiss AG is the vehicle of choice for holding companies. Swiss tax law provides a participation exemption on dividends received from subsidiaries — largely eliminating double taxation and making Switzerland one of the world’s most efficient holding jurisdictions.
Equity-ready from day one
Share capital is divided into shares, which can be transferred and allocated to investors, employees or co-founders. AG shares make future equity rounds, ESOP plans and partial exits structurally clean and legally straightforward under Swiss law.
Notary fees CHF 0 — with the UBS & Baloise bundle
UBS and Baloise have a joint offer for new Swiss company formations: if you open your business bank account with UBS and take out a Baloise liability insurance policy, the notary and commercial register fees are covered — CHF 0. Virtual Office Zug coordinates this offer directly for you.
- UBS business account opening — required for share capital deposit
- Baloise company liability insurance — required for most active businesses
- Notary and commercial register fees: CHF 0 (covered by the bundle)
- Virtual Office Zug coordinates the entire process
Swiss AG vs GmbH — which structure is right for your company?
Both are valid Swiss company forms. The right choice depends on your capital, ambitions and ownership structure.
| Criteria | Swiss GmbH | Swiss AG ← recommended for holding |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum capital | CHF 20,000 (fully paid-in) | CHF 100,000 (CHF 50,000 paid-in min) |
| Owners listed publicly | Yes — in commercial register | Shareholders not listed publicly |
| Share transferability | Requires notarial deed | Free transfer of registered shares |
| Board requirement | 1+ manager(s), 1 Swiss resident | 1+ director(s), 1 Swiss resident min |
| Auditor | Opt-out possible (<10 FTE) | Opt-out possible (<10 FTE) |
| Holding structure | Possible but less efficient | Optimal — participation exemption applies |
| Equity investment | Complex, restrictive | Clean — shares, ESOP, future rounds |
| International perception | Good | Premium — preferred by institutions |
| VOZ formation fee | CHF 149 · GmbH page → | CHF 149 · this page |
Both structures benefit from the UBS & Baloise bundle offer (notary CHF 0). Both are formed 100% remotely by Virtual Office Zug.
11 steps to your Swiss AG — 100% remote
From signup to commercial register entry. No travel, no notary appointment in person, no apostille required.
Order AG formation online
Complete your order on the Virtual Office Zug website. Secure Stripe payment. You immediately receive your onboarding instructions by email.
Day 1Upload your identity documents
Upload via your secure VOZ dashboard: passport (all shareholders and directors), proof of address (3 months max), and criminal record certificate for your Swiss resident director if required.
Day 1–3Company name, purpose & share structure
Choose your AG name (must include “AG” or “SA”) and verify availability instantly with our Zefix tool. Define your company purpose — VOZ refines it with you to ensure it is broad enough and compliant. You validate, then the notary prepares your articles of association. If you selected UBS or Valiant, the notary sends you the consignment account IBAN directly. You deposit the share capital, sign the articles and return them to the notary. The bank issues the capital deposit certificate to the notary, who can then sign and submit all documents to the commercial register.
Day 2–4Open your UBS business bank account
Virtual Office Zug coordinates your UBS account opening remotely. UBS will verify your identity online. Once approved, you receive your capital deposit IBAN. This step activates the UBS & Baloise bundle offer (notary CHF 0).
Week 1–2Deposit CHF 50,000 share capital
Transfer CHF 50,000 (or more if your AG has higher paid-in capital) to the UBS blocked account. These funds are your company’s working capital — not a fee. They are fully accessible once the AG is registered.
Week 2Baloise insurance consultation
VOZ arranges a Baloise consultation to present the insurance landscape for your Swiss company — mandatory coverage (depending on whether you have employees) and optional policies. No contract is required to sign. This consultation is part of the UBS & Baloise bundle and helps you understand your obligations from day one.
Week 2Sign your articles of association
VOZ prepares your articles of association. Your original wet signature is required — no electronic signature. You sign the documents and return them to the notary by post. Your signature must be legalized: either by a notary in your country of residence, or via Swiss ID electronic signature legalization. VOZ guides you through the process step by step.
Week 2–3Constituent assembly & board appointment
The founding shareholder(s) formally adopt the articles, appoint the board of directors and confirm the auditor waiver (opting-out) in writing. This takes place remotely via a circular resolution signed by email.
Week 3Commercial register filing (Handelsregister)
VOZ files your AG formation with the Zug commercial register. The notary submits the complete formation deed and all required documents. Target turnaround: 5 business days from file submission.
Week 3–4Publication in Swiss Official Gazette (SOGC)
Your AG is published in the Schweizerisches Handelsamtsblatt (SOGC) and in the Zug cantonal gazette. From this date your company exists legally. You receive your UID number and commercial register extract (Handelsregisterauszug).
Week 4Share capital released — your AG is operational
UBS releases your CHF 50,000 from the blocked account to your company’s operating account. Your Swiss AG is live, fully compliant and ready to operate. VOZ continues to support with domiciliation, accounting and director services.
Week 4What does Swiss AG formation actually cost?
With the UBS & Baloise bundle, notary fees are CHF 0. Without the bundle, notary and register costs range from CHF 1,500 to CHF 2,500.
What you need to form a Swiss AG
All documents are uploaded digitally via your VOZ dashboard. No originals to post. No apostille required with the UBS & Baloise bundle.
Shareholder documents
- Valid passport (all shareholders)
- Proof of address dated within 3 months (utility bill, bank statement)
- Source of funds declaration for share capital
- No apostille required with UBS & Baloise bundle
Board of directors
- Minimum 1 board member (Verwaltungsrat)
- At least 1 director domiciled in Switzerland with right to sign
- Swiss Resident Director: CHF 249 setup + CHF 3,000/year (if needed)
- Director passport + proof of address required
Share capital
- CHF 100,000 minimum authorised share capital
- CHF 50,000 minimum paid-in at incorporation (50%)
- Deposited into blocked UBS account before registration
- Released to operating account immediately after registration
Auditor — opting out
- Small AG (<10 FTE): full opting-out from audit possible
- 10–249 FTE (or CHF 40M revenue / CHF 20M assets): limited examination
- 250+ FTE: ordinary audit required
- Most newly formed AGs qualify for full opting-out
Swiss AG — the ideal holding company vehicle in Europe
Switzerland offers one of the world’s most favourable holding company regimes. A Swiss AG in Canton of Zug — one of the lowest corporate tax cantons in Switzerland — benefits from the participation exemption, which largely eliminates double taxation on dividends received from subsidiaries.
- Participation exemption applies when AG holds ≥10% of a subsidiary, or participation value ≥CHF 1,000,000
- Dividends largely exempt from Swiss corporate income tax (Beteiligungsabzug)
- Capital gains on share sales largely exempt (under certain conditions)
- Effective corporate tax rate in Zug: approx. 11.9%
- OECD-compliant — Switzerland participates in BEPS Pillar 2 framework
Everything you need to operate your Swiss AG in Zug
Bundle all your Swiss company services through Virtual Office Zug — one place, one dashboard.
Pack Premium Domiciliation
Billed quarterly or annually
Registered address in Baar — required for your commercial register entry. Mail scanning fully included.
Swiss Resident Director
Required if no Swiss-resident director is in your team. Contract by email, no travel required.
Swiss Accounting
12 hours fiduciary time per month: bookkeeping, VAT returns, annual financial statements. English-speaking.
Swiss Financial Analyst
Holding structures, tax optimisation and international arrangements — personalized expert guidance.
Frequently asked questions — Swiss AG formation
A Swiss AG (or SA) is a Swiss joint-stock company. It requires a minimum share capital of CHF 100,000, of which at least CHF 50,000 must be paid in at incorporation. It is Switzerland’s most prestigious corporate structure, widely used for holding companies, larger SMEs, and companies planning equity investment or future listing.
A Swiss AG requires a minimum share capital of CHF 100,000. At least 50% — CHF 50,000 — must be paid in at incorporation. The remaining CHF 50,000 can be called in later by the board. Share capital is working capital for your company, not a cost or fee.
With the UBS & Baloise bundle offer through Virtual Office Zug, notary and commercial register fees are CHF 0. The VOZ AG formation setup fee is CHF 149. You also need to deposit CHF 50,000 share capital into a Swiss bank account before incorporation — this remains your company’s working capital and is fully accessible after registration.
No. The entire AG formation process is 100% remote. You sign your articles of association and formation documents by email — no travel, no notary appointment in person, no apostille required. Virtual Office Zug handles the process remotely.
A Swiss AG requires a minimum of one board member (Verwaltungsrat). At least one board member — or one director with sole signing authority — must be domiciled in Switzerland. If you are not a Swiss resident, Virtual Office Zug provides a Swiss Resident Director service at CHF 249 setup + CHF 3,000/year.
Small AGs can opt out of the statutory audit. Ordinary audit applies to companies with more than 250 FTE, or which meet two of three thresholds: CHF 40M revenue, CHF 20M total assets, 250 employees. Limited statutory examination applies to companies with 10 or more FTE. If you have fewer than 10 FTE and shareholders agree, you can fully opt out. Most newly formed AGs qualify for opting-out.
Swiss tax law provides a participation exemption (Beteiligungsabzug) for AG holding companies. Dividends received from a subsidiary are largely exempt from corporate income tax if the AG holds at least 10% of the subsidiary’s share capital or if the participation is worth at least CHF 1,000,000. This makes a Swiss AG an efficient holding structure for international groups.
Swiss AG formation typically takes 3 to 5 weeks from document upload to commercial register entry. The process includes bank account opening (1–2 weeks), notary deed preparation, commercial register filing and publication in the Swiss Official Gazette (SOGC). Virtual Office Zug coordinates all steps remotely.
Ready to form your Swiss AG remotely?
CHF 149 VOZ setup · Notary CHF 0 with UBS & Baloise · 100% remote · Sign by email · No travel · Done in ~4 weeks
