A new name, a refreshed visual identity, an updated website, and an ambitious project to improve industry transparency – these are just some of the key developments in the strategy of the Swiss Precious Metals Association. The aim: to further strengthen Switzerland’s position as a global leader in excellence and responsibility, confirming the country’s central role as an international gold hub.

The Swiss precious metals industry and its ecosystem play a key role in the country’s economy: suffice it to say that approximately one-third of the world’s gold is refined annually in Switzerland, with significant benefits in terms of employment, growth, and innovation. Over the decades, this sector has helped position Switzerland as a global hub for the sourcing, refining, manufacturing, and trading of precious metals.

A central role in this regard is played by the national industry reference body, the Swiss Precious Metals Association (ASMP), which brings together key players in the sector, including some of the world’s largest refineries. The Association’s strategy is to further develop and consolidate the work accomplished over time, with the ambition of increasingly positioning Switzerland as a global reference point for quality, reliability, responsibility, and transparency. To achieve this aim, the ASMP has identified several strategic priorities, including enhanced communication, greater promotion of the industry’s strengths, and deeper engagement with institutions, civil society, and international partners.

“Together with our members, we have been working for many years to strengthen the sector. Ongoing dialogue with stakeholders and transparency are essential to maintaining Switzerland’s global leadership in expertise, quality, and responsibility. Our new strategy is a major step forward in addressing the global challenges facing our sector, ” said Christoph Wild, President of the ASMP, while at the same time confirming that the Confederation is and remains the leading hub for the national precious metals industry.

How will all this translate into practice? The first projects are already visible; others will follow. First and foremost, the name change from ASFCMP (Swiss Association of Manufacturers and Traders in Precious Metals) to ASMP (Swiss Precious Metals Association). The new, more accessible name is part of a broader effort to help bring an often complex and little-known sector closer to stakeholders and the public. The Association has also adopted a new visual identity, designed to consistently communicate the values ​​of “Swissness,” – the excellence and responsibility, transparency and reliability that have always characterised Swiss industry. The Association has also launched a new website (www.asmp.swiss), designed to serve as an information hub for members, institutions, and the interested public.

One of the most ambitious initiatives in the new strategy, aimed at strengthening transparency and trust in the sector, is the development of a pioneering digital platform, set to launch in 2026. This tool will allow users to intuitively trace the origin of precious metals processed in Switzerland and access key information – addressing a topic that frequently surfaces in public and regulatory debates. This platform will be among the first of its kind globally and could well set a benchmark for other industries with complex supply chains.

The platform will also complement ASMP’s broader efforts to further strengthen transparency and oversight of the sector in Switzerland, for example by promoting a stronger role for the Swiss Precious Metals Control. At the same time, with these steps, the ASMP is fulfilling its promise to civil society of greater transparency and reaffirming its commitment to strengthening Switzerland’s leadership as a global centre of excellence, quality, and responsibility in the precious metals sector.

ASMP – Founded in 1978, the Swiss Precious Metals Association (ASMP) brings together 16 companies engaged in the processing and trading of precious metals. Its members refine approximately 75% of Switzerland’s gold imports (worth around USD 70 billion), and include three of the world’s largest refineries. The Swiss refining industry adheres to the guidelines of the London Bullion Market Association, the sector’s leading authority, as well as to OECD standards for the responsible sourcing of materials from conflict-affected and high-risk areas. At Swiss federal level, companies in the sector are regulated under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) and monitored by the Central Office for Precious Metals Control, part of the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS).