Publication Date: Press ReleasePublished on November 21, 2025
Author: news.admin.ch / fedpol
Source: fedpol Press Release
Publication Date: November 21, 2025
Summary Reading Time: 4 minutes
Executive Summary
Switzerland positions itself as a coordination hub in the fight against informal financial systems with the second international Underground Banking Roundtable, yet reveals systemic weaknesses in its own anti-money laundering architecture. While MROS (Money Laundering Reporting Office) advances international cooperation, it struggles with resource shortages and a flood of suspicious activity reports that led to overload in 2025. The 1000-year-old practice of informal money transfer has evolved into a highly professional instrument for money laundering and sanctions evasion – with Switzerland as a critical node whose opaque asset recovery faces increasing international criticism.
Critical Key Questions
- How credible is Switzerland's anti-money laundering leadership role when its own MROS is groaning under overload and international observers speak of "dithering"?
- Where does legitimate financial market regulation end and where does de facto acceptance of shadow financial flows through institutional inertia begin?
- What innovation opportunities emerge for FinTech players developing transparent real-time compliance solutions – and who is blocking their implementation?
Scenario Analysis: Future Perspectives
Short-term (1 year):
Tightening of EU sanctions evasion controls leads to pressure on Swiss payment service providers; MROS reform to handle the flood of reports is politically discussed but not implemented.
Medium-term (5 years):
AI-powered analysis systems enable real-time detection of underground banking patterns; without transparency reforms, Switzerland loses further reputation to Singapore and UK as a financial center.
Long-term (10-20 years):
Fully digitized currency systems (CBDCs) make classic underground banking obsolete, but shift informal systems to decentralized crypto networks; geopolitical blocs establish parallel financial systems.
Main Summary
a) Core Topic & Context
The second international Underground Banking Roundtable (Nov. 20-21, 2025) in Bern brought together experts from Interpol, Europol, UNODC and ESAAMLG to combat informal payment systems. These over 1000-year-old transfer mechanisms are primarily abused today for money laundering, terrorist financing and sanctions evasion.
b) Key Facts & Figures
- Underground Banking has existed for over 1000 years (longer than banks themselves)
- MROS reports overload in 2025 due to massive increase in suspicious activity reports
- Participants: Interpol, Europol, UNODC, ESAAMLG plus national FIUs
- Switzerland is internationally referred to as "dithering" (slow/hesitant) compared to Singapore and UK
- [⚠️ To be verified] Specific figures on underground banking flow volumes are missing from the press release
c) Stakeholders & Affected Parties
- Directly affected: Swiss financial center, MROS/fedpol, payment service providers
- Internationally involved: FIUs worldwide, law enforcement agencies, regulated financial institutions
- Indirectly affected: legitimate remittance service providers (migrants), SMEs in international trade
d) Opportunities & Risks
Opportunities:
- Technological innovation through digital analysis methods and real-time data exchange
- Strengthening of international cooperation structures
Risks:
- Reputational damage to Swiss financial center due to lack of transparency
- Systemic overload of MROS jeopardizes effective anti-money laundering efforts
- Shift of criminal activities to even harder-to-control digital systems
e) Relevance for Action
Decision-makers should immediately address three areas:
- Resource allocation for MROS to handle the flood of reports
- Transparency offensive in asset recovery to secure reputation
- Technology investments in AI-based real-time analysis systems
Quality Assurance & Fact-Checking
- ✅ Verified: MROS overload 2025 confirmed by multiple sources
- ✅ Verified: International criticism of Swiss transparency (UNCAC Coalition)
- [⚠️ To be verified]: Specific volumes of funds transferred via underground banking
- [⚠️ Information gap]: Concrete investigation successes or case numbers missing from press release
Source Directory
Primary Source:
Second Underground Banking Roundtable – fedpol Press Release
Supplementary Sources:
- Switzerland's banks still being pulled up – finews.ch
- Asset recovery processes remain opaque – UNCAC Coalition
- Trade-Based Money Laundering Report – FATF
Verification Status: ✅ Facts checked on Nov. 21, 2025
🧭 Journalistic Compass
- 🔍 Power structures questioned: Discrepancy between Swiss leadership claim and actual performance highlighted
- ⚖️ Personal responsibility emphasized: Need for action on resources and transparency clearly stated
- 🕊️ Transparency prioritized: Information gaps and unconfirmed data explicitly marked
- 💡 Food for thought provided: Critical questions on credibility and innovation formulated