Financial KYC Onboarding
An encrypted KYC client onboarding form for financial advisers, wealth managers and family offices — identity verification, source of wealth, beneficial ownership, PEP screening and AMLA/FATF compliance.
About this template
This template provides financial advisers, wealth managers, banks and family offices with a structured, encrypted KYC (Know Your Customer) client onboarding form. It captures all data required to meet obligations under the Swiss Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA / GwG), FATF recommendations and FINMA guidance — identity, beneficial ownership, source of funds, PEP screening and risk classification.
What it collects
- Client identity — full name, date of birth, nationality, tax residency
- Client type — individual, legal entity or trust/foundation
- Beneficial owner declaration — the natural person(s) who ultimately control or benefit
- Source of funds and source of wealth
- PEP (Politically Exposed Person) screening — current and former public office
- Expected transaction profile — purpose of relationship, expected volume
- Document upload — passport/ID, proof of address
- Client declaration and signature
AMLA / GwG compliance obligations
Swiss financial intermediaries are legally required to identify their customers, clarify the identity of the beneficial owner, and clarify the background and purpose of unusual transactions (Art. 3–6 AMLA). Failure to perform and document proper KYC exposes the intermediary to regulatory sanctions by FINMA and criminal liability under Art. 305bis StGB (money laundering). End-to-end encryption ensures KYC data is protected in line with nFADP.
How to use it
Use this template
Click 'Use template' to create a copy in your dashboard.
Send before account opening
Share with the prospective client before opening any account or advisory relationship.
Review and risk-classify
Use the information to complete your internal risk classification — enhanced due diligence for PEP clients and high-risk relationships.
Why digital encrypted KYC forms outperform paper-based processes
Traditional KYC in financial services involves paper forms, scanned passport copies in email attachments, and manual data entry. This approach creates significant data protection risks (unencrypted personal and financial data in inboxes), compliance risks (incomplete forms not caught until audit), and operational risks (manual errors in data entry).
A digital encrypted KYC form addresses all three: required fields ensure completeness, end-to-end encryption protects sensitive data from the moment the client submits it, and structured data flows directly into the firm's compliance records without manual re-entry.
Swiss KYC requirements under AMLA and FINMA guidance
- Client identification (Art. 3 AMLA): verify the identity of the contracting party using an official identity document
- Beneficial owner identification (Art. 4 AMLA): clarify who ultimately controls or benefits from the relationship
- Source of funds and wealth (FINMA Circular 2011/1): required for private banking and asset management relationships
- PEP screening (Art. 2a AMLA, FINMA Anti-Money Laundering Ordinance): identify whether the client or beneficial owner holds or has held a prominent public function
- Risk classification: assign a risk category (low, medium, high) based on the above and document the basis for classification
Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs)
A PEP is a natural person who holds or has held a prominent public function — including heads of state, senior government officials, senior judicial officials, senior military officials, and senior executives of state-owned enterprises. Immediate family members and close associates of PEPs are also treated as PEPs. Swiss law requires enhanced due diligence for PEP relationships, including senior management approval.
Paper KYC vs digital encrypted KYC
| Paper KYC | Digital encrypted KYC | |
|---|---|---|
| Data protection | Scanned documents in email inboxes | Encrypted end-to-end from submission |
| Completeness | Optional fields skipped, caught at audit | Required fields enforced at submission |
| PEP screening | Manual check against declarations | Structured fields enable systematic screening |
| Audit trail | Paper file, manual updates | Digital timestamped record |
Frequently asked questions
Who must perform KYC in Switzerland?
All financial intermediaries subject to AMLA (Art. 2 AMLA) must perform KYC — this includes banks, securities dealers, portfolio managers, trustees, insurance companies acting as financial intermediaries, money changers, and other entities.
What happens if I do not perform proper KYC?
Failure to perform and document KYC exposes the financial intermediary to: administrative sanctions and licence revocation by FINMA; criminal liability under Art. 305bis StGB for money laundering if assets of illegal origin were accepted; and reputational damage.
Is the KYC data encrypted?
Yes. All data — including uploaded passport copies and address proofs — is encrypted in the client's browser before submission. Only authorised compliance personnel at your firm can access it.
For more context, see our financial services use-case page, our guide to digital KYC and AMLA compliance, and our overview of document collection under FINMA guidance.