For many companies listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange Ltd (SIX), the use of alternative performance measures (APMs) has become a regular tool for communicating the business and financial performance of a company to investors. In light of the widespread use of APMs, their diverse application and the increasing risk of investors being misled, SIX Swiss Exchange Regulation Ltd has issued a new Directive on the Use of Alternative Performance Measures (the Directive). This article provides a brief introduction to the Directive and its application to issuers listed on SIX.

By Deirdre Ní Annracháin (Reference: CapLaw-2018-47)

While the entry into force of the Financial Market Infrastructure Act (FMIA) on 1 January 2016 has brought a number of substantial changes to the Swiss disclosure rules, in particular with regard to the reporting of discretionary voting power related to equity securities, the takeover provisions contained therein have largely remained unchanged. This article examines the exemptions from (1) the disclosure duties related to significant shareholdings and (2) the duty to make an offer granted by the financial market authorities to the banks that provide financing facilities.

By Julia Tolstova / Olivia Biehal / Aurèle Bertrand (Reference: CapLaw-2018-29)

The reliable and easy transfer of assets on a blockchain is a key prerequisite for the economic exploitation and development of new technologies. Asset transfers currently occur through the use and transfer of tokens. If tokens contain a claim against the issuer (e.g. the right to use certain services), then claims under applicable Swiss law must be transferred by way of assignment in accordance with article 164 et seq. CO, provided the tokens are not securitized or issued as book-entry securities.

This is the English translation of the article published by the authors in the IT Jusletter on 24 May 2018 which has been derived from the Position Paper on the legal classification of ICOs published by the Blockchain Taskforce of the Swiss Federal Council in April 2018.

By Rolf H. Weber / Salvatore Iacangelo (Reference: CapLaw-2018-30)

Unlike other sectors, the financial sector has been reluctant to embrace international arbitration for resolving finance disputes. The ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR created the Task Force on Financial Institutions to study the concerns of financial institutions. The study’s findings were published in a report in December 2016. This article builds on the findings of said report and provides an update on the status of international arbitration in the financial sector.

By Thomas Werlen / Jascha Trubowitz (Reference: CapLaw-2018-31)

On 5 December 2017, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA published its new circular 2018/3 Outsourcing – Banks and Insurance Companies. In contrast to the current rules, the new circular not only covers banks and securities dealers but is also applicable to insurance companies. The main changes are a more flexible definition what constitutes outsourcing based on a case-by-case analysis factoring in the business model and risk profile of each institution, a more differentiated approach to intra-group outsourcing, and a focus on supervisory issues, leaving data protection and banking secrecy out of the scope of the FINMA circular. The new rules entered into force on 1 April 2018.

By Rashid Bahar / Martin Peyer (Reference: CapLaw-2018-16)

The London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) reform has been an ongoing project for the past several years, proceeding in fits and starts. It seems, however, that the global regulatory community has now finally begun in earnest to plan for a future without LIBOR. Reforming LIBOR is a complicated undertaking, since LIBOR acts as a reference rate to several hundred trillion dollars in both notional value of derivatives and in bonds, loans and securitizations and thus plays a very important role in the global financial market. LIBOR has attained such a unique role because it is calculated for five currencies (USD, GBP, EUR, CHF and JPY) which come in seven maturities (from overnight to 12 months).

By Thomas Werlen / Jascha Trubowitz (Reference: CapLaw-2018-17)

As of 1 January 2018, further elements of the Basel III international regulatory framework for banks on capital and liquidity entered into effect in Switzerland. Notably, the unweighted capital adequacy requirement (leverage ratio) was extended from systemically relevant banks to all banks by requiring a minimum core capital (Tier 1 capital) to total exposure ratio of 3%. As of the same date, the liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) requirement were adjusted to provide for certain simplifications, which will primarily benefit smaller financial institutions. The risk diversification requirements of Basel III measured against Tier 1 capital will enter into effect in Switzerland in 2019. The introduction of the net stable funding ratio (NSFR), which was originally planned for 1 January 2018, has been postponed.

By René Bösch / Benjamin Leisinger / Lee Saladino (Reference: CapLaw-2018-03)

The new Swiss financial market regulation will take effect in the second half of 2019 or in 2020. The new acts, namely the Financial Services Act and the Financial Institutions Act are particularly relevant to external asset managers of pension funds and investment foundations. The pension funds and investment foundations themselves will not be directly impacted, but will indirectly benefit from increased conduct and transparency rules and the fact that their external asset managers henceforth will be subject to supervision by FINMA or a FINMA-authorized supervisory organization.

By Sandro Abegglen / Evelyn Schilter (Reference: CapLaw-2018-04)

While the concept of organized trading facilities has been introduced into Swiss law more than one and a half year ago, many of the rules applying to organized trading facilities will only be phased in by the beginning of 2018. Similarly, the Swiss regulator, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA, has only recently published regulatory guidance on the rules applicable to organized trading facilities. Such rules and regulatory guidance will start applying from January 1, 2018.

By Patrick Schleiffer / Patrick Schärli (Reference: CapLaw-2017-44)

On 6 July 2017, the Financial Stability Board published its guiding principles on the loss-absorbing resources to be committed to subsidiaries or sub-groups that are located in host jurisdictions and deemed material for the resolution of a G-SIB as a whole (iTLAC). The guiding principles support the implementation of the iTLAC requirement in each host jurisdiction and provide guidance on the size and composition of the iTLAC requirement, cooperation and coordination between home and host authorities and the trigger mechanism for iTLAC.

By René Bösch / Benjamin Leisinger / Lee Saladino (Reference: CapLaw-2017-45)