Opening a bank account in Switzerland

For founders and private clients who live outside Switzerland and need a Swiss account — for a company, for personal assets, or for both. We prepare the file, pick the banks that actually onboard your profile and stay with you until the account number arrives.

Free consultationWhatsAppTelegramTell us your residence, your business and what the account is for — we will say which banks are realistic before you spend a day on paperwork.

What the rules actually say in 2026

Residency requirement	None in law. Every bank applies its own cross-border policy and decides case by case
Automatic exchange of information	In force since 1 January 2017, first exchange in 2018; Switzerland exchanges with 100+ partner jurisdictions
Numbered account	The number replaces the name inside the bank. The bank still identifies the contracting party and the beneficial owner (CDB 20)
Entry threshold and fees	Set by each bank, not by law. Differs sharply between a cantonal bank and a private bank
Who decides	The bank's compliance department, on the strength of your file

ИсточникState Secretariat for International Finance (SIF), automatic exchange of information on financial accounts; Swiss Bankers Association, Agreement on the Swiss banks' code of conduct with regard to the exercise of due diligence (CDB 20); State Tax Service of Ukraine on the first CRS exchange of 30 September 2024. Checked 23 September 2026.

How to open a Swiss bank account: the order of work

1. Profile. Country of residence, citizenship, business, expected turnover and the currencies you need. This is what decides which banks are even worth approaching.
2. Shortlist. Swiss banks differ a lot in whom they take: large universal banks, cantonal banks and smaller private banks each run their own policy on non-residents.
3. The file. Forms, certified copies, proof of address, corporate papers, and the source-of-funds story with documents behind every claim.
4. Review. Compliance reads the file and comes back with questions. Clear answers at this stage are what separates an opened account from a polite refusal.
5. Opening. Account number, e-banking, cards, and the signatory arrangements you asked for.

Resident or non-resident: what changes

A person who lives in Switzerland is offered the full retail range — current accounts for salary and daily spending, joint accounts, savings and investment accounts. A non-resident is normally looked at through the savings-and-investment lens, and the bank pays much closer attention to the origin of the money and to the economic reason for a Swiss account.

That reason matters. An account that serves a real need — a Swiss supplier, a Swiss company, assets held in Switzerland, a planned move — is a far easier conversation than an account opened because Switzerland sounds safe.

Privacy in 2026, without the myths

Swiss banks protect client data from the public and from third parties, and that has not changed. What changed is the tax side: since the automatic exchange started, account data of a foreign tax resident reaches their own tax authority once a year. A Swiss account is a strong, well-regulated place to keep money. It is not a way to keep money out of sight of your own tax office.

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Frequently asked questions

Can a non-resident open a bank account in Switzerland?

Yes. Swiss law does not reserve accounts for residents. Each bank sets its own cross-border policy and decides case by case, so the practical question is which bank accepts your country of residence, your line of business and the way your money was earned.

Can I open a Swiss bank account online, without flying to Switzerland?

Part of it, yes. Forms, corporate documents and the source-of-funds file travel by courier and e-mail, and several banks run the interview by video call. Some banks still ask the signatory to appear once in person or to have the signature certified by a notary. We check the bank's rule before you apply, so the trip is either planned or avoided.

Will my Swiss account be reported to my home country?

If your country is an AEOI partner of Switzerland, yes. The legal basis for the automatic exchange of information entered into force on 1 January 2017 and the first exchange took place in 2018; Switzerland now exchanges financial account data with more than 100 partner jurisdictions. Ukraine carried out its first CRS exchange on 30 September 2024.

Is a numbered account anonymous?

No. On internal documents and statements a number replaces the name, but the bank identifies the contracting party and the beneficial owner exactly as for any other account — that is the duty of due diligence under the Agreement on the Swiss banks' code of conduct (CDB 20).

How much money do you need to open a Swiss bank account?

There is no figure set by law. Every bank publishes its own entry threshold and fee schedule, and they differ by an order of magnitude between a cantonal bank and a private bank. We ask the bank about your profile before an application is filed, so you see the real number instead of a range from an article.

Related pages

• Company in Switzerland — structure, registration, ongoing support
• VAT registration in Switzerland — obtaining a VAT number
• Opening a bank account in Estonia — an EU alternative with remote onboarding
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