Nils Silinevics
Partner · AML & Crypto Compliance · Former FIU Investigator
Coinbase is registered with FINMA (Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority) in Switzerland. That means we have a direct regulatory path to resolve your freeze. Swiss legal team with FINMA expertise. 90%+ success rate.
Coinbase is FINMA-authorized; operates via Swiss entity
FINMA classifies crypto under existing financial regulation; SRO membership (Self-Regulatory Organization) required for crypto businesses; Crypto Valley (Zug) is a global hub
This matters because it determines which regulatory body has authority over your case — and whether you have a direct complaint path or need cross-jurisdictional legal action.
Good news: Since Coinbase is registered with FINMA (Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority), we have a direct regulatory complaint path. If Coinbase doesn't resolve your case within a reasonable time, we escalate to FINMA (Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority) — and the platform knows this.
under AMLA, you can complain to FINMA; also Swiss Banking Ombudsman (Bankenombudsman); professional secrecy under Swiss Criminal Code §321
Under AMLA (Anti-Money Laundering Act, GwG) + FinSA (Financial Services Act), Coinbase must conduct customer due diligence and can freeze accounts during AML investigations. However, they must also:
If Coinbase doesn't meet these obligations, we escalate to FINMA (Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority) and file a formal legal submission. For a broader comparison of how Switzerland's rules stack up against other jurisdictions, see our AML laws by country reference.
wealth tax (varies by canton, 0.1-1%); capital gains on private wealth are tax-free if held as private asset
If your Coinbase account is frozen, you may still need to declare your crypto holdings on your Switzerland tax return — even if you can't access them. Under Switzerland law, the tax obligation may apply regardless of whether the funds are accessible. We recommend consulting a Swiss tax advisor.
If the freeze causes you to miss a tax deadline, we can provide documentation for the FINMA (Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority) and tax authority explaining the situation.
A Swiss investor received a source-of-funds demand from Coinbase after receiving a large crypto transfer. Coinbase required full documentation under AMLA (Anti-Money Laundering Act, GwG) + FinSA (Financial Services Act). We compiled a structured source-of-funds package with bank statements, exchange history, and FINMA (Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority)-compliant documentation. Funds were released within 3 weeks after our formal legal submission to Coinbase's compliance team.
Details anonymized to protect client confidentiality. Swiss professional secrecy applies.
We analyze your Coinbase account, transaction history, and Switzerland regulatory context to identify the exact trigger. Was it a TRM Labs risk flag? A sanctions screening match? A source-of-funds demand? Each requires a different strategy.
We prepare documentation compliant with AMLA — not just Coinbase's standard templates. This includes source-of-funds proof, transaction tracing, and any required FINMA-specific forms.
We submit through Coinbase's compliance channels — not standard support. Our submission is in German, French, Italian and references FINMA guidelines. We also file a parallel complaint with FINMA if needed.
We verify everything works and advise on preventing recurrence on Coinbase. If Coinbase doesn't respond within no statutory maximum; FINMA expects resolution within 'reasonable period' — Swiss law principle of proportionality, we escalate to FINMA and pursue cross-jurisdictional action in USA (Delaware incorporation) if needed.
Tell us what happened. A senior crypto compliance lawyer — not a chatbot, not a junior — will read your case and respond within 6 hours. Swiss professional secrecy applies from your first message.