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Setting up a trust in Switzerland: steps and documents
Seven stages cover setting up a trust in Switzerland: enquiry, identity checks, structure design, drafting, signing, incorporation where needed, and funding. A law firm for the governing law drafts the deed, and a local partner takes a defined role where the work is done in Switzerland. This guide lists each stage and the documents we ask for.
Reviewed by a senior trust administrator, updated
Seven stages, who does what
Select a stage to read what slows or speeds it.
- EnquiryOne Pacific Trust
- Identity checksOne Pacific Trust
- Structure designYou
- DraftingLaw firm, bank, adviser or trustee
- SigningYou
- Incorporation, where neededLaw firm, bank, adviser or trustee
- FundingLaw firm, bank, adviser or trustee
YouOne Pacific TrustLaw firm, bank, adviser or trustee
Key facts
- Trust structure
- Switzerland has no trust law of its own; a trust is set up under another place's law[1]
- Foreign law rules
- The Hague Trusts Convention entered into force for Switzerland on 1 July 2007[2]
- Reporting to authorities
- The Swiss legal basis for automatic exchange of financial account information took effect on 1 January 2017[3]
Numbers in brackets point to the Sources list at the end of this page.
How the process runs
Enquiry
Tell us what the structure should do and which assets are involved, and we reply with the next questions.
Identity checks
We verify the settlor, any protector, the others connected with the trust, and the source of the funds.
Structure design
You choose the governing law; we agree the structure with a law firm for it, Swiss counsel and the local partner.
Drafting
The law firm drafts the deed and you write a letter of wishes; you review the draft with your own lawyer.
Signing
You sign the deed and the trustee accepts office; signing at a distance works where your lawyer confirms it.
Incorporation, where needed
A company or foundation in the structure is incorporated; a local partner does the work in Switzerland.
Funding
Assets move into the trust: a bank account is opened, shares are transferred and the asset register is written up.
Before you start: what you decide
Four decisions open the process: what the trust is for, who benefits, what goes in, and who acts as trustee. For Switzerland, a fifth comes first, which is the law the trust will follow.
Purpose leads to structure. Family continuity suggests a discretionary trust, a business holding might use reserved powers, and an aim with no named beneficiaries calls for a purpose trust or a foundation. The overview describes each.
Switzerland has no trust law of its own (source: Fedlex, Swiss federal law), so a trust used here is governed by the law of another place that the deed names.
Your deed names that law expressly. Your lawyer confirms how it applies to your deed.
Decide how involved you wish to be. Retaining a view on investments is one choice, and handing them to a professional manager is the other.
Who sits in which seat also matters. Settlor, trustee, beneficiaries and protector can be different people or entities, and the deed identifies each. Any protector is selected now because the deed has to define the role.
Advisers belong in the conversation early. A lawyer or tax adviser who studies the plan ahead of drafting can raise a point while changing course is still cheap and simple.
Step by step: from enquiry to signed deed
The sequence below is the usual one. Some stages overlap, and your situation may add another.
- Enquiry. Tell us what you want the structure to do and which assets are involved. We reply with the next questions, and with a quote on request.
- Identity checks. We verify the settlor, any protector and the other people connected with the trust, and the source of the funds. The next sections list the documents.
- Structure design. You choose the law the trust will follow. We agree the structure with a law firm for that law, Swiss counsel and the local partner: trust, foundation or private trust company, and who sits in each role.
- Drafting. The law firm drafts the deed, and you write a letter of wishes alongside it. You review the draft with your own lawyer.
- Signing. You sign the deed, and the trustee accepts office. Signing can be done at a distance where your lawyer confirms it works.
- Incorporation, where needed. A company or foundation in the structure is incorporated in this stage. A local partner does the work in Switzerland; your engagement letter sets out its role.
- Funding. Assets move into the trust: a bank account is opened, shares are transferred, and the asset register is written up.
Documents the trustee asks for
One core list applies to every settlor. The table pairs each item with the person it concerns and the reason for asking.
| What we ask for | Who it concerns | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Passport and proof of address | Settlor, protector, anyone who can direct the trust | Identity and address checks |
| Occupation and evidence of source of funds and wealth | Settlor | To show where the assets came from |
| Names and details of beneficiaries | Beneficiaries | Identification; for a class, enough detail to identify them at payout |
| Incorporation papers and share register | Any company placed in the trust | To confirm ownership and control |
The table is our onboarding checklist.
Identity and source-of-funds checks
Identity evidence establishes who you are. Source-of-funds evidence traces the money entering the trust, and source-of-wealth evidence shows how your wider wealth was built.
Typical proof is routine: a contract for the sale of a business, dividend statements, bank statements. We keep copies and renew the checks on a timetable tied to risk.
Those who can direct the trust are checked as well as the settlor. That covers a protector, a director of a private trust company and a named investment manager.
Where we do not meet in person, we add a safeguard. Options include a second set of identity documents, closer checks on the details supplied, or a first payment from an account in your own name.
The Swiss partner does its own screening too. Your file reaches it under a data-sharing agreement, so you are not asked for the same papers twice.
After the trust is set up
After signing, the work turns into routine upkeep. The trustee maintains records, calls meetings when decisions arise, prepares accounts and renews identity checks.
You get the asset report and the minutes, and your letter of wishes may be revised at any time.
Each year the trustee also gathers the self-certification forms used for tax information exchange. The tax and reporting guide explains the meaning.
Where a trust already exists, our trust administration service shows what administration covers once we are appointed.
The guide to what you pay explains who charges for each part of the work.
The features the law allows are worth reading before the structure is fixed, and the common questions give quick answers. When you are ready, ask for a quote.
Frequently asked questions
How do you set up a trust in Switzerland?
Switzerland has no trust law of its own, so the deed names another place's law. You complete identity checks, agree the structure and choose that law, have a law firm for it draft the deed, sign it and fund the trust. The steps on this page set out the order.
How long does set-up take in Switzerland?
Timing turns on outside parties: the law firm, the Swiss partner and the bank. Complete documents and fast identity checks shorten the path, while choosing the governing law and moving assets add time. We give no promised dates, and each stage is visible to you.
Which documents do I need for a trust in Switzerland?
Bring a passport and proof of address, evidence of how your funds and wealth arose, details of the beneficiaries, and incorporation papers for any company going into the trust. The table on this page shows each item and the reason we request it.
Can I set up a trust in Switzerland from abroad?
Yes. Remote checks and signing are possible. If we do not meet in person, we add a safeguard, such as a second set of identity documents or a first payment from an account in your own name, to confirm that you are who you say you are.
Sources
- Fedlex: Swiss federal law, read 2026-11-05.
- HCCH: Trusts Convention status table, read 2026-11-05.
- State Secretariat for International Finance: Automatic exchange of information, read 2026-11-05.