GmbH & AG — Canton Zug, Switzerland

How to Open a Company
in Switzerland

Switzerland offers two primary company structures for international founders: the GmbH (limited liability company, CHF 20,000 capital) and the AG (stock company, CHF 100,000). Both can be set up remotely. Here is everything you need to know.

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3-4 weeks
Time to register
CHF 20k
GmbH min. capital
CHF 100k
AG min. capital
100%
Remote process
Choose Your Structure

GmbH vs AG: Which is Right for You?

GmbH
Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (Limited Liability Company)
CHF 20,000

Ideal for: Startups, SMEs, single-founder companies, holding structures with few shareholders. Simpler to manage — no board required. Shareholders are listed publicly in the commercial register.

  • CHF 20,000 minimum share capital
  • No board of directors required
  • Shareholders visible in register
  • Simpler corporate governance
  • Easier to operate for small teams
  • Max 200 quotaholders
AG
Aktiengesellschaft (Stock Corporation)
CHF 100,000

Ideal for: Investment companies, large holdings, entities seeking VC funding, companies with institutional shareholders. Shares can be bearer or registered. Board of directors required.

  • CHF 100,000 minimum share capital
  • Board of directors required (1+ members)
  • Shareholders not listed publicly
  • Preferred for institutional investors
  • Easier to issue shares
  • Better for fundraising
Cost Overview

Cost of Opening a Swiss Company

Cost Item GmbH AG
Share Capital (min.) CHF 20,000 CHF 100,000
Notary Fees CHF 800 - 1,500 CHF 1,200 - 2,500
Commercial Register Fee CHF 300 - 600 CHF 400 - 800
VOZ Address (annual) From CHF 588/yr From CHF 588/yr
Swiss Director (annual) From CHF 3,000/yr From CHF 3,000/yr
Annual Accounting (minimum) From CHF 1,200/yr From CHF 1,500/yr
Estimated First-Year Total ~CHF 22,000 - 26,000 ~CHF 107,000 - 115,000

Note: Share capital is an asset of the company, not a cost. It is deposited in a Swiss bank account and available to the company upon incorporation. The above estimates are for Zug registrations by non-resident founders.

Step-by-Step

How to Open a Swiss Company: The Process

1

Week 1: Address & KYC

Order your VOZ registered address and complete identity verification. This provides your Zug domiciliation address for the articles of association.

2

Week 1-2: Draft Articles & Notarise

Your notary drafts the articles of association. You sign before a Swiss notary, Swiss embassy, or via apostille. The notary opens a capital deposit account at a Swiss bank.

3

Week 2: Capital Deposit

Transfer the minimum share capital (CHF 20,000 for GmbH / CHF 100,000 for AG) to the blocked capital account. The bank issues a confirmation letter.

4

Week 3-4: Commercial Register

The notary submits all documents to the Zug commercial register. Processing typically takes 5-10 business days. Your company is now legally active and appears on ZEFIX.

Frequently Asked Questions

Opening a Swiss Company FAQ

Yes. There are no nationality restrictions on owning a Swiss GmbH or AG. Foreigners can hold 100% of the shares. The only requirement with a residency dimension is that at least one director/manager with signing authority must be resident in Switzerland — which VOZ provides through our Swiss director service.
Yes. The share capital is deposited in a blocked account before incorporation. Once the company is entered in the commercial register, the account is unblocked and the capital is at the company's disposal. It is a company asset, not a fee — you control how to use it for business purposes.
For a standard remote incorporation in Zug, expect 3-4 weeks from start to commercial register entry. The main variable is notarisation (can be slower if using embassies abroad) and banking for capital deposit. Urgent incorporations in Zug can occasionally be completed in 10-14 business days.
You need a Swiss capital deposit account to receive the share capital during incorporation. This is typically arranged by the notary with a cooperating bank. A full corporate current account is opened after incorporation using the commercial register extract as proof of legal existence.
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Open Your Swiss Company in Zug

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