Liechtenstein Financial Market Authority (FMA)

The Liechtenstein Financial Market Authority (FMA) is the supervisory authority. The FMA is an independent, integrated financial market supervisory entity with the legal form of a public-sector institution. The FMA's core duties include the supervision and regulation (on behalf of the government) of the Liech­tenstein financial market. The FMA is responsible for the issuance, withdrawal, and revocation of licenses for all financial intermediaries. The FMA assures stability of the Liechtenstein financial market, pro­tection of customers, prevention of fraud and the implementation and observance of international standards.

Duties of the supervisory authority

In its ongoing supervision activities, the FMA monitors laws and ordinances and enlists auditing firms for indirect supervisory duties. Further domains of the FMA are reviews of auditors' reports, business reports, and periodic communications.

The FMA also provides legal counsel to financial market participants, interprets laws and ordinances, and offers general information on the fund market and the available product design options.

Supervised entities

• Banks and securities firms
• Payment institutions
• E-money institutions
• Asset management firms
• Investment funds
• Insurance companies
• Insurance brokers
• Retirement plan providers
• Pension funds
• Fiduciaries
• Auditors
• Lawyers
• Patent attorneys
• Other financial intermediaries