A deadline a formation would miss
A signing, a tender or an acquisition timetable that cannot wait the two-to-four-week incorporation window. The shares can transfer within days.
Swiss shelf companies
ready-made AG & GmbH
A Swiss shelf company is an existing company, already in the commercial register, fully capitalised, and kept dormant so it has never traded and carries no debt. We hold a vetted catalogue of ready-made Swiss AGs: you take one over, change its name, purpose and management to yours, and start within days instead of waiting out a new incorporation. Where a GmbH is the better fit, we set one up as a new formation. Either way, one firm handles the transfer, the registered office, the resident director and the bank account.
At a glance
An existing, clean Swiss AG — taken over, not formed.
Dormant, debt-free, already on the register. Speed is the consequence; a verifiably clean entity is the point.
- In stock
- Ready-made Swiss AG
- From
- CHF 10,500 for the company
- Capital
- CHF 100,000 (its own equity)
- Status
- Dormant · debt-free
- Register update
- ~1–2 weeks
What a Swiss shelf company is, and who should buy one
A Swiss shelf company is an AG that was incorporated earlier, entered in the commercial register, and then held dormant: capital paid in, no trading, no debt. You acquire the shares of that existing entity and change its name, purpose and management to yours. Because the company already exists, with a registered number and articles, you can act for it within days rather than waiting two to four weeks for a fresh incorporation. It suits founders facing a tender, a counterparty or a deadline that needs a company already on the register, not a company that merely looks older.
Who it's for
When an existing entity earns its premium
A shelf company is worth the premium over a new formation in a handful of concrete situations.
A counterparty that wants an existing company
A bank, landlord, supplier or public tender that asks for a company already entered in the register, with a UID number, before it will deal.
A foreign founder entering Switzerland
A non-resident who needs a Swiss entity, a registered office and a resident director in place quickly, with one firm handling the whole takeover.
A holding or SPV needed at short notice
An acquisition vehicle or holding entity required before a transaction closes, taken over clean and then slotted into the structure.
Available now
Ready-made Swiss AGs in the catalogue
The price is for the company itself; its CHF 100,000 share capital is the company's own equity and stays yours through the shares. A selection is shown below; the full list is sent on request.
Swiss AGGP-2024-08
2024Year of incorporation
- Share capital
- CHF 100,000
- Domicile
- Zug
- VAT
- On request
- Status
- Dormant · debt-free
CHF 10,500Enquire
Swiss AGGP-2023-14
2023Year of incorporation
- Share capital
- CHF 100,000
- Domicile
- Zurich
- VAT
- Registered
- Status
- Dormant · debt-free
CHF 12,000Enquire
Swiss AGGP-2022-05
2022Year of incorporation
- Share capital
- CHF 100,000
- Domicile
- Zug
- VAT
- Registered
- Status
- Dormant · debt-free
CHF 13,500Enquire
Swiss AGGP-2020-11
2020Year of incorporation
- Share capital
- CHF 100,000
- Domicile
- Zurich
- VAT
- Registered
- Status
- Dormant · debt-free
CHF 15,500Enquire
Swiss AGGP-2018-03
2018Year of incorporation
- Share capital
- CHF 250,000
- Domicile
- Zug
- VAT
- Registered
- Status
- Dormant · debt-free
CHF 17,000Enquire
Swiss AGGP-2016-02
2016Year of incorporation
- Share capital
- CHF 100,000
- Domicile
- Zurich
- VAT
- Registered
- Status
- Dormant · debt-free
CHF 18,500Enquire
Catalogue updated . Availability changes; the full current list, with each company's registered details, is sent on request. Ask for the catalogue. Prices shown are for the company; the CHF 100,000 share capital is the company's own equity.
The takeover
From selection to a company in your name
Four steps with realistic timings. The first three are signed within a week; the commercial register then publishes the change in roughly one to two weeks. Durations are indicative; the buyer due-diligence is what usually sets the pace.
- Day 1–2
Select and verify
You pick a company from the catalogue by year of incorporation, capital and price. You receive its commercial-register extract, articles and financial position, and confirm it is dormant and debt-free before committing.
- Day 2–4
Due diligence & agreement
We run the buyer-side checks (identity, beneficial ownership, source of funds) and prepare the share-purchase agreement, which carries a debt-free warranty from the seller. This step is yours to speed up: the faster your documents arrive, the sooner you sign.
- Day 4–5
Notarised share transfer
Ownership of the shares passes to you before a notary. From this point you control the company and can act for it (sign contracts and approach a bank) while the register catches up.
- Week 1–2
Re-register & set up
The new name, purpose, directors and registered office are filed with the commercial register and published. We put the resident director, office, accounting and bank account in place so the company is operational, not just owned.
Costs & conditions
What it includes, when it applies, and the cost
The price of the company is only the first line. These are the other costs and the conditions that come with running a Swiss company; you pay only for what you actually need.
| Item | When it applies | Indicative cost |
|---|---|---|
| The shelf AG (the company) | Always | From CHF 10,500 (per catalogue) |
| Notary & commercial-register filing | Always, for the name, purpose & board change | Official fees, ~CHF 600–1,500 by canton |
| Registered office (local address) | If you have no address in the canton of seat | Annual, on request |
| Resident director | If no board member is Swiss-resident (Art. 718 CO) | Annual, on request |
| Accounting & bookkeeping | Once the company trades | On request |
| VAT registration | If turnover will exceed CHF 100,000 | Handled with the takeover |
| Bank-account introduction | Always, needed to operate | Arranged; bank sets its own terms |
| Share capital (CHF 100,000) | Already paid in, not a fee | Stays in the company as your equity |
AG vs GmbH
AG or GmbH, side by side
The two Swiss forms compared. Our ready-made stock is AGs; a GmbH we set up as a new formation.
| AG (Aktiengesellschaft) | GmbH | |
|---|---|---|
| Share capital | CHF 100,000 (≥ CHF 50,000 paid in) | CHF 20,000 (fully paid) |
| Owners on public register | No, shareholders are not listed | Yes, members are listed |
| Typical use | Investment, holding, institutional profile | Owner-run and smaller businesses |
| Resident director | Required (Art. 718 para. 4 CO) | Required (Art. 814 para. 3 CO) |
| How we provide it | Ready-made, from the catalogue | New formation (a few extra days) |
| Register update | ~1–2 weeks | ~1–2 weeks |
What stays the same as a new company
A shelf company is a shortcut through incorporation, not through Swiss substance. Whatever the entity, it needs at least one Swiss-resident representative, a real registered office in the canton of seat, fit-and-proper management, and proper accounts. The buyer-side anti-money-laundering checks (identity, beneficial ownership and source of funds) apply exactly as they would on a formation, and they protect you as much as the seller; our Zurich and Zug team runs those checks and the transfer. If your activity is regulated (a financial intermediary, an asset manager, a crypto business) the company still needs the relevant FINMA authorisation or SRO membership; an existing shell does not remove that step.
Shelf vs shell
Shelf company vs shell company: the difference that matters
The two terms are confused constantly, and the confusion is what gives shelf companies an undeserved bad name. The legal form can be identical; provenance and intent are what separate them. Here is the distinction, point by point.
| Feature | Shelf company | Shell company |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A pre-registered, dormant AG or GmbH kept ready for a legitimate buyer to activate | A loose term for any entity with no real operations, sometimes lawful, sometimes a front |
| Created & held | Incorporated, fully capitalised, then kept clean & never traded | May be created anywhere, anytime, often purely to hold or move assets |
| Capital & accounts | Capital paid in; filed accounts or a dormancy confirmation; debt-free warranty | Frequently undercapitalised; accounts thin, late or absent |
| Status in Switzerland | Fully legal and compliant: an ordinary share transfer | Lawful only if transparent; abused for secrecy in the worst cases |
| Typical use | Fast market entry, tenders, a counterparty that needs an existing entity | Asset holding, sometimes obscuring ownership across borders |
| Transparency | Audited against KYC/AML; beneficial owners disclosed to bank & authorities | Varies; opacity is the recurring red flag |
| Buyer due diligence | Low risk: identity & source-of-funds verified before transfer | Risk varies and is often context-dependent |
A properly run Swiss shelf company is the opposite of an opaque shell: it comes with filed accounts, a debt-free warranty and full anti-money-laundering checks on the buyer. That paper trail is exactly what makes it safe to take over.
When a shelf company is the wrong choice
Honestly, most founders who are not under time pressure are better off forming a new company. A fresh incorporation lets you choose the name and purpose from the outset, costs less than the shelf premium, and gives you the same legal entity at the end. An older registration date carries no legal weight on its own; it does not make a bank, a regulator or a counterparty treat the company as more established, and presenting it that way is a mistake. A shelf company earns its premium only when an existing, clean entity solves a specific, dated problem. If it does not, wait the two to four weeks and form one.
Related
Forming and running the company
Who you buy from
The firm behind the catalogue
A Swiss fiduciary and financial-regulation practice running since 2014: who holds the companies, and who handles the transfer.
About the firmIf regulated
Financial regulation
If the company will carry on a regulated activity: FINMA licensing, SRO membership and AML compliance.
Financial regulationNext step
Request the full catalogue
The current list of available shelf AGs, with the registered details and price of each.
Request the catalogue
FAQ
Swiss shelf company: FAQ
01What is a Swiss shelf company?
A Swiss shelf company is an AG (or GmbH) that was incorporated some time ago, entered in the commercial register, and then kept dormant. It has never traded, has no debts and no operating history. Buying one means acquiring the shares of that existing entity instead of forming a new one, so you start with a company that already has a registered number (UID), articles of association and a commercial-register entry. The name, purpose and management are then changed to yours. It is sometimes called a ready-made company, an aged company, or, in German-speaking Switzerland, a Mantelgesellschaft.
02Is it legal to buy a shelf company in Switzerland?
Yes. Acquiring the shares of an existing Swiss company is an ordinary, lawful transaction. Since 1 January 2025, Art. 684a and 787a CO set the statutory boundary: a share transfer is void only where the company cumulatively has no business activity, no realisable assets and is over-indebted, the profile of an abusive, asset-stripped shell. A properly maintained shelf company fails every limb of that test by design: it is kept fully capitalised and debt-free, so its paid-in capital is a realisable asset and the transfer is valid. Commercial-register practice on reviving empty shells (the older wirtschaftliche Neugründung doctrine) points the same way. What matters is buying a clean, capitalised company, never an emptied one.
03Is buying a shelf company worth it?
It is worth it when an existing, demonstrably clean company solves a specific, dated problem: a tender, bank or counterparty that wants an entity already on the register, or a deadline a two-to-four-week incorporation would miss. It is not worth the premium if you are trying to look established: an older registration date carries no legal weight on its own and impresses no Swiss bank or regulator. If you are not under time pressure, forming a new company is usually the better value.
04What is the difference between a shelf company and a shell company?
A shelf company is dormant by design and clean: fully capitalised, never traded, kept on the shelf to be sold to a legitimate buyer who will activate it. A shell company is a term for an entity with no real operations, often used loosely (and sometimes pejoratively) in the context of hiding ownership or assets. The legal form can be identical; the difference is provenance and intent. A properly run Swiss shelf company comes with filed accounts, a debt-free warranty and full anti-money-laundering checks on the buyer, and that is what separates it from an opaque shell.
05How quickly can I take over a Swiss shelf company?
The share transfer of a debt-free Swiss AG can be signed within a few days of selecting the company and completing the buyer due-diligence (identity and source-of-funds checks). The new name, purpose and directors are then filed with the commercial register, which publishes the change within roughly one to two weeks. You can usually act for the company (sign contracts, approach a bank) from the date the shares transfer, before the register entry is fully updated.
06What does a Swiss shelf company cost, and what are the extra costs?
There are two separate amounts. First, the price of the company itself: from CHF 10,500 for an available AG, shown per company in the catalogue and depending on its age and capital. Second, the company's share capital of CHF 100,000, which is not a fee: it is the company's own equity and remains yours through the shares. On top of the price sit the official notary and commercial-register fees for the name, purpose and board changes (a few hundred to roughly CHF 1,500 depending on canton), and then only the services you actually need (registered office, a resident director, accounting and a bank-account introduction), each quoted on request.
07What is included beyond the company — registered office, director, a bank account?
The company alone is the entity; to operate it in Switzerland you also need a registered office in the canton of seat (a real local address, not a P.O. box), at least one Swiss-resident representative, accounting, and a bank account. We arrange each of these alongside the takeover so the company is operational, not just owned. You can take the office and resident director from us if you do not have your own, and we make the bank-account introduction. You only pay for the elements you actually use.
08Do I need a Swiss-resident director?
Yes. The requirement does not change because the company already exists: a Swiss AG must have at least one person authorised to represent it who is resident in Switzerland (Art. 718 para. 4 of the Code of Obligations; Art. 814 para. 3 for a GmbH). If you do not have a resident director, we provide a qualifying Swiss-resident director and the registered office as part of the takeover, so the company stays compliant from day one.
09Can a foreigner or non-resident buy a Swiss shelf company?
Yes. There is no nationality or residence requirement to own the shares of a Swiss AG, so a foreign individual or company can take over a shelf AG outright. The one structural requirement is the Swiss-resident representative described above, which we supply if you have no one resident in Switzerland. Buyer due-diligence, meaning identity and source-of-funds checks, applies to everyone, resident or not.
10Are the companies really debt-free?
That is the whole point of a properly maintained shelf company, and it is what you verify before signing. Each company in the catalogue has filed accounts (or a confirmation of dormancy), no creditors, no tax arrears and no prior trading. You receive the commercial-register extract, the articles and the financial position before the transfer, and the purchase agreement includes a debt-free warranty from the seller. If anything is unclear, the company is not the right one to take.
11Who appears on the public register — is ownership anonymous?
For a Swiss AG, the shareholders are not listed in the public commercial register; only the directors and officers are. That is one reason buyers prefer the AG over the GmbH, whose members (owners) are on the register. Anonymity is not secrecy, however: the company must keep its own share register and a record of beneficial owners, and disclose them to the bank and the authorities when required. The AG keeps ownership off the public record, not off the regulator's.
12Do you sell shelf GmbHs, or only AGs?
Our ready-made stock is Swiss AGs: the AG is what most buyers want for the CHF 100,000 capital, the non-public shareholder register and the institutional profile, and it is the form we keep dormant and ready. Where a GmbH is the better fit, we set one up as a new formation rather than from stock; it adds only a few days to the timeline and gives you the same clean entity. The catalogue prices on this page are for the available AGs.
13What is the Swiss equivalent of an LLC — the AG or the GmbH?
The closest Swiss equivalent of a US LLC is the GmbH (Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung): a limited-liability company with members rather than shareholders, CHF 20,000 capital, and owners listed on the register. The AG (Aktiengesellschaft) is closer to a corporation or PLC: CHF 100,000 capital, shares, and a non-public shareholder register. Most international buyers of a Swiss shelf company take the AG for its capital and privacy; choose the GmbH if you specifically want the LLC-style, owner-run structure.
14Shelf company or new formation — which is right for me?
Take a shelf company when an existing, demonstrably clean entity has a concrete value to you: a tender or counterparty that wants a company already on the register, or a timetable that a two-to-four-week incorporation would miss. Form a new company when you can wait, when you want a specific name and purpose from the start, or when the premium over a fresh formation is not worth it. The legal substance you end up with is the same; the difference is time and an existing register history, not capability.
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