La classification des clients selon la loi sur les services financiers

This article looks at the client categorisation system ­reflected in the new Swiss Federal Act on Financial ­Services. Firstly, it defines the notion of client classification before highlighting similar classification mechanisms already existing under the current law. The article goes on to detail the three categories of clients, namely private, professional and institutional, as well as the possibility for clients to change their initial ca­tegory and the impact of such categorisation on their relationship with their service providers. In closing, the paper discusses the points of contention between the clients’ categorisation system of the Financial Services Act and the contractual relationship subject to civil law.