Payment solution for Swiss associations: One platform for all sections

Swiss umbrella organizations can provide their sections with a central payment platform through which each section independently collects membership fees, event tickets, and course fees – with their own branding and their own payout to the section's bank account. The organization maintains an overview via an aggregated Dashboard and can automatically deduct an association share (e.g. license fee or umbrella organization contribution) per transaction via split payments before the rest flows to the section.

This guide explains how such a platform solution works, what architectural variants exist, and shows three concrete scenarios for Swiss associations.

1. The Problem: Why decentralized payment solutions slow down associations

In many Swiss associations, each section has its own payment solution – or none at all. The gymnastics club in Zug uses PostFinance E-Finance and QR bills, the section in Bern works with club software, and the section in Lausanne collects in cash. The umbrella organization has no overview of the payment flows, cannot provide aggregated figures for the delegates' meeting, and has no way to automatically collect the association share.

This scenario leads to three concrete problems. First: The association must manually request and track the contribution of each section – with 40–500 sections, this is a significant administrative effort. Second: The sections offer their members an inconsistent payment experience – some accept TWINT, others only bank transfers. Third: For continuing education offers, licenses, or events offered centrally by the association, there is no uniform processing.

2. The Solution: Central platform with decentralized accounts

An association platform is a central payment infrastructure through which all sections of an association process payments – without the association itself receiving the payments. Each section has its own sub-account (sub-merchant account) with its own branding, its own products, and its own payout to the section's IBAN.

The association acts as the platform operator and handles the onboarding of the sections. In the background, payment processing runs via a Payment Service Provider (PSP) that, as a technical partner, covers the regulatory requirements (KYC check, Anti-Money Laundering Act) for each section. The association itself usually does not need its own financial market license because it does not act as a payment intermediary – the funds flow directly from the payer via the PSP to the section.

2.1 Split Payment: Automatically deduct association share

Split Payment means that an incoming payment is automatically divided into two or more parts. For associations, this is the crucial mechanism: With each transaction of a section, a predefined share (e.g. 5% or a fixed amount of CHF 2) is transferred to the association, and the rest goes to the section. Thus, the association does not have to request its contribution separately – it is automatically deducted with every payment.

Example: A member of the Bern section pays their annual fee of CHF 120 via TWINT. The PSP automatically deducts CHF 6 (5%) as the association share and transfers CHF 114 minus transaction fees to the IBAN of the Bern section. The association share is collected and periodically paid out to the umbrella organization. No manual effort, no invoices, no chasing up.

2.2 Reporting: Two levels, one dashboard

A platform solution typically offers two reporting levels. The association sees aggregated figures: total transaction volume of all sections, association shares, number of active sections, top sections by turnover. Each section sees exclusively its own transactions: incoming payments, payouts, outstanding items. The sections have no insight into the data of other sections.

3. Architectural Variants: Which model fits your association?

Depending on the size of the association, technical know-how, and budget, three architectural variants are possible.

Most Swiss associations fare best with Model B: A platform solution via a PSP that handles onboarding, KYC checks, and payment processing. The association configures the platform, onboards the sections, and defines the split-payment rules. Providers offering platform solutions in Switzerland include Payrexx, Stripe Connect, and wallee.

4. Three Scenarios: How Swiss associations use the platform solution

4.1 Cantonal sports association with 40 local clubs

A cantonal gymnastics association has 40 local clubs with a total of 6,000 members. Each local club collects its own annual fee (CHF 80–150 per member). The association charges a license share of CHF 5 per member. Previously, each local club had to transfer the license share separately to the association – 20% forgot it, 10% paid late.

With the platform solution: The association sets up a sub-merchant account for each local club. When a member of TV Aarau pays their contribution of CHF 120 via TWINT, CHF 5 automatically goes to the association, and CHF 115 (minus transaction fee) goes to TV Aarau. The association sees in real-time which local clubs have billed how many members.

4.2 Professional association with continuing education offers

A professional association offers central continuing education courses (CHF 350–800 per course) and has 12 regional sections that host their own networking events (CHF 25–50 per event). Through the platform, the association sells the courses centrally, while each section processes its events through its own sub-merchant account. The association has an overview of all bookings – central and regional – in one Dashboard.

4.3 Music association with regional sections

A Swiss music association with 80 regional sections (brass bands, choirs, orchestras) wants to offer sections a uniform solution for ticket sales at concerts. Each section gets its own sales page with its club logo and color scheme. Tickets are sold via the section's mini webshop, and the revenues flow directly to the section account. The association receives a fixed amount of CHF 0.50 per ticket sold as a contribution to platform financing.

5. Regulatory Aspects: Does the association need to have a license?

When an association processes payments via a platform, the question arises whether it qualifies as a financial intermediary under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) or as a payment transmitter under the Banking Act (BA). The short answer: Usually not, provided the association uses a licensed PSP as its technical partner and the funds do not flow through the association's own account.

The crucial distinction: As long as the PSP forwards the payments directly from the payer to the section (with an automatic split for the association share), the association does not receive customer funds and does not engage in payment services. The regulatory responsibility (KYC, AMLA compliance) lies with the PSP. The association merely acts as an intermediary connecting its sections to the PSP.

Important: If, on the other hand, the association receives the payments itself, collects them in its own account, and then forwards them to the sections, it may qualify as a financial intermediary and will need to join an SRO (self-regulatory organization) or even obtain a Fintech license under Art. 1b of the Banking Act. This model is not recommended for associations. The platform solution via a licensed PSP avoids this problem.

Note: This section does not replace legal advice. Regulatory requirements depend on the specific business model. In case of doubt, consult a lawyer specializing in financial market law.

6. Costs: What an association platform costs

The costs for a platform solution depend on the model, the number of sections, and the transaction volume. The following table provides guidelines for an association with 40 sections and an annual total volume of CHF 500,000.

Additional advantage for the association: By centrally negotiating transaction fees, the association can often secure better conditions for its sections than each section would achieve individually. With a total volume of CHF 500,000+, negotiations for custom terms are possible with most PSPs.

7. Checklist: Setting up an association platform for payments

• Identify needs: How many sections? Which payment occasions (fees, events, courses)?

• Choose architectural model: Decentralized (A), Platform (B), or White-Label (C)?

• Evaluate PSPs with platform solutions and obtain offers (Payrexx, Stripe Connect, wallee, etc.)

• Define split-payment rules: Percentage share or fixed amount per transaction for the association

• Define onboarding process for sections: What data does the PSP require (statutes, IBAN, board members)?

• Start a pilot with 3–5 sections and test the process

• Clarify reporting requirements: Which figures does the association need, and which does the section need?

• Prepare communication for the sections: Explain the benefits, create instructions

• Clarify regulatory questions: Do funds flow through the association or directly through the PSP?

• Plan the rollout: Phased onboarding (e.g. 10 sections per month)

8. How you can build an association platform with Payrexx

With its platform solution, Payrexx offers a model specifically designed for associations with multiple sections. The association gets a central Dashboard through which it onboards sections as sub-merchants – including the KYC check, which Payrexx handles as a licensed Payment Facilitator. Each section gets its own account with its own branding, its own products (fees, events, shop), and its own payout to its IBAN account.

Split payments can be configured per section or per product: The association defines which share is automatically deducted. Reporting shows the association aggregated metrics and each section their individual transactions. Sections pay transaction fees – the association can purchase these at a buy-rate and define itself which fees it passes on to the sections. For an individual evaluation, contact the Payrexx platform team for a non-binding conversation.