Confidential Enquiries · Institutional Counterparties Only
Switzerland Zurich FINMA CHF

Stock Loans Against Switzerland-Listed Equity

Institutional securities-backed lending against shares listed on SIX Swiss Exchange — for controlling shareholders, founders, and family offices holding positions on the FINMA-regulated Switzerland market.

01 · The Market
United Kingdom & Europe

About SIX Swiss Exchange.

SIX Swiss Exchange is the principal cash equity venue of Switzerland. Established in 1850 (Geneva trading; consolidated 1996), it operates today under the regulatory oversight of the Eidgenössische Finanzmarktaufsicht (FINMA). The exchange’s principal indices are SMI, SLI, SPI. Listing standards and continuing obligations are codified in the SIX Listing Rules; Federal Act on Financial Market Infrastructures (FinMIA / FMIA).

The principal Swiss equities venue, home to a concentrated set of large-capitalisation pharmaceutical, food, and financial issuers. Swiss confidentiality norms and a granular disclosure regime make it a structurally favourable market for institutional collateralisation.

The exchange operates the following segments: Main Standard; International Reporting Standard; Standard for Investment Companies; Sparks (SME). Each segment imposes its own listing standards and continuing obligations, which interact with the firm’s eligibility analysis for institutional positions.

02 · Eligibility
For Institutional Positions

What qualifies on SIX.

SIX is among the deepest cash equity pools in the world. Eligibility analysis for institutional positions on SIX is principally a function of single-stock factors — free float, average daily trading volume, shareholder concentration, and the specific shareholder’s regulatory profile — rather than market-level liquidity constraints.

For any specific position on SIX, the firm’s eligibility review addresses: free float and average daily trading volume relative to the contemplated pledge size; the shareholder’s status (controlling shareholder, substantial shareholder, director, or otherwise) and the resulting disclosure profile; the issuer’s sector and the segment in which it is listed; any concurrent regulatory considerations (takeover-code mechanics, foreign-ownership caps, regulated-industry restrictions); and the specific structuring requirements of the contemplated transaction (LTV, tenor, currency, recourse profile, custody arrangement).

Indicative terms for a SIX-listed position are issued only after a review of the specific position. A published rate sheet is not used; the discipline of the structuring is itself the value.

03 · Disclosure
FINMA Reference

Framework cited on SIX.

The principal regulatory reference on SIX is FMIA Art. 120. Operational mechanics, reporting levels, step thresholds, and per-transaction interpretation are governed by the underlying rules and the relevant national-law overlays. These are mapped against any contemplated transaction at the structuring stage in coordination with the borrower’s chosen counsel.

For controlling shareholders, directors, and other regulated holders, additional regimes apply on SIX — including the takeover-code mechanics of the Switzerland market, insider-dealing rules under the FINMA framework, and listing-rule restrictions on dealings during defined windows. The disclosure footprint of any contemplated transaction is mapped at the structuring stage; sequencing, language, and concurrent regulatory communications are managed accordingly.

References above are public regulatory citations published for information only. They are not legal advice. The primary sources — the SIX Listing Rules; Federal Act on Financial Market Infrastructures (FinMIA / FMIA), the Eidgenössische Finanzmarktaufsicht rulebook, and applicable statutory instruments — should be consulted directly. Each enquirer should obtain independent legal advice in the relevant jurisdiction for any specific transaction.

04 · Process
From Enquiry to Funding

The route to a SIX stock loan.

The firm’s engagement model is consistent across markets: five disciplined stages from confidential enquiry to capital deployment, with senior principals throughout. For SIX-listed positions, the structuring stage addresses the market-specific factors above — settlement under the SIX conventions, custody arrangements with a Switzerland-qualified custodian, CHF-denominated and cross-currency options, and disclosure timing under the FINMA regime.

See the full process →

05 · FAQ
SIX-Specific Questions

What people most often ask about SIX.

Q · 01 What is the typical loan-to-value for a stock loan against SIX-listed positions?
LTV on SIX is calibrated to the specific position. The principal drivers are the underlying’s free float, average daily trading volume, volatility, and the borrower’s regulatory profile. For a large-cap, high-volume SIX name, LTV is materially higher than for a thinly-traded or recently-listed position. A non-recourse structure runs at lower LTV than a full-recourse structure on the same underlying. Indicative ratios are issued only after a review of the specific SIX position; there is no published rate sheet.
Q · 02 Which SIX-listed segments are eligible for stock loans?
Eligibility is assessed case by case. The firm considers positions across the segments operated by SIX Swiss Exchange: Main Standard; International Reporting Standard; Standard for Investment Companies; Sparks (SME). Higher-tier (premium / large-cap / main-market) segments are typically more straightforward to structure than growth / SME segments, principally because of free-float and liquidity differences.
Q · 03 In which currency can a SIX stock loan be denominated?
The default is CHF, the listing currency. Cross-currency structures, for example, financing a CHF-denominated SIX position with a USD or EUR loan, are common and routinely available. The cross-currency element introduces hedging, settlement, and tax considerations that are addressed in the documentation.
Q · 04 Are there foreign-ownership constraints on SIX-listed shares relevant to a pledge?
Foreign-ownership rules vary by issuer and by sector on SIX; regulated sectors (banking, telecoms, defence, natural resources, and others) commonly carry ownership caps and notification requirements that interact with collateralised structures. The firm’s structuring review addresses these expressly for any specific position.
06 · Other United Kingdom & Europe
Adjacent Markets

Countries adjacent to Switzerland.

United Kingdom · Europe (Euronext) · Germany · Italy · Spain · Sweden · Finland · Denmark · Poland · Austria

All countries →

A specific Switzerland position to discuss?

Submit a confidential enquiry. A senior principal will respond within one business day.