A Guide to Opening a Swiss Bank Account in 2022

Swiss banks are well recognized across the world. The Swiss financial system is well-known for its world-class cuisine, scenic locales, and luxury timepieces. If you're interested in residing in Switzerland or opening a Swiss bank account, you'll want to learn more about how Swiss banks operate.

What Is So Special About Swiss Banks?

The term "tax haven" comes from Swiss banks being known for providing a high level of security and secrecy. On the other hand, Swiss banks are no longer able to provide top-secret accounts. It's not as though all Swiss banks have sworn off dealing with clients from other countries. Non-Swiss residents who want to open Swiss bank accounts are increasingly more cautious and controlled.

According to an agreement between Switzerland and the United States, Switzerland now has a statute that makes tax avoidance extremely unlikely. The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) mandates that Switzerland provide information on U.S. accounts held in the country with the United States.

Advantages of a Swiss bank account

Banking in Switzerland provides a high level of economic security, privacy, and asset protection. Swiss banks have the highest capitalization and are the safest, but they also provide accounts in all the main currencies and have minimal levels of risk. Stability and neutrality are hallmarks of the Swiss economy in times of crisis.

Because of these advantages, Swiss banks are the safest and most reliable places to save your money. As a result, creating a Swiss bank account may first appear difficult, but it will become easier after you understand the fundamental requirements.

Types of Swiss Bank Accounts

Bank accounts in Switzerland come in several varieties, each distinct function.

Current accounts

In Swiss banks, you can open a current account, the simplest sort of account. This account may be used to pay your bills, save money, and invest. Additionally, you may withdraw money in both Swiss francs and euros.

Fees for current accounts range from CHF 5 to CHF 15 per month, depending on the kind of account and how many transactions are made each month. Other banks' ATMs may charge additional processing fees if you withdraw cash from them.

Joint accounts

In keeping with their name, two people can utilize joint accounts, and both participants have access to all funds. Joint accounts are most commonly owned 50/50 by the two parties; however, if both designated holders agree, the account can also be held in varying amounts by both parties.

Accounts for saving and investing

Savings and investment accounts are your best bet if you want to put money away or even invest it. Saving and investing are not synonymous despite their comparable tone. There are advantages and disadvantages to both long-term and short-term savings accounts. In contrast, you can gain a lot of money by investing, but you also risk losing money.

numbered Swiss bank accounts

Some Swiss banks provide numbered accounts and high-security accounts with an additional layer of secrecy for the account holder. However, these accounts come with hefty annual fees of CHF 2,000. International payments and big sums of money can be monitored for money laundering reasons on these accounts.

How Do Non-Swiss Citizens Open a Swiss Bank Account?

To create a bank account in Switzerland, whether you're relocating there or just interested in banking there, you'll want to confront the issue head-on. Getting a bank account is a difficult process no matter where you go. First and foremost, Swiss law permits non-residents at least 18 years old to create a Swiss bank account.

There aren't many restrictions other than this. It is difficult for non-Swiss residents to create a Swiss bank account outside of Switzerland, as Swiss banks don't seem to offer the same services as Switzerland. Alternatively, they might get in touch with a Swiss bank over the Internet and make payments via letters (the latter is usually done by post and rarely online).

How to Set Up a Swiss Bank Account for Your Children?

Your children's future is vital to you, and Swiss banks understand this. Some banks have created savings accounts for children, where parents can deposit money and receive interest for their children's futures.

Only their parents may manage these accounts until kids are old enough to do it independently. Payouts vary; however, the greatest rates may be found up to a specific point (e.g., CHF 20,000).

Swiss banks provide gift-saving accounts in addition to children's accounts. Also, family members like grandparents can open these kinds of accounts. Gift saving accounts allow you to put your money into a fund and get a significant return on your investment if the fund does well. The downside is that if the fund fails to perform well, you may lose money.

Money Transfers to/from Switzerland

Regardless of the cause, if you or someone you know needs money right away and is worried that it will be too expensive to send, you can always use a money-transfer service like Transferwise to send money into or out of Swizterland*.

Using these services will save you both time and money since they have more efficient systems. Transferwise's services are available online so that you may use them from the convenience of your own home. Create a TransferWise online account, and everything will go easily.