The largest banks in Switzerland include “big” banks, Raiffeisen banks, cantonal banks, local banks, foreign banks, and more.
These banks cater exclusively to residents and large commercial clients, however, there are a few exceptions.
We are going to share a list of the largest financial institutions in Switzerland in terms of total assets and help you navigate your options when choosing where to open bank accounts in Switzerland as a non-resident.
Feel free to use the table of contents to jump ahead to the sections most relevant to you.
Table of Contents
- What Are the Largest Banks in Switzerland?
- How Do I Open Bank Accounts in Switzerland?
- Frequently Asked Swiss Banking Questions
- Do You Want Help Opening Bank Accounts?
What Are the Largest Banks in Switzerland?
The largest banks in Switzerland in terms of total assets are UBS (CHF 1.7 trillion), Julius Baer (CHF 457 billion), Raiffeisen Schweiz (CHF 300 billion), and Zurich Cantonal Bank (CHF 192 billion).
These banks play a critical role in Switzerland’s economy, providing a wide range of banking services, including private bank accounts, investment banking, and wealth management services, maintaining stability in the financial sector, and supporting the needs of both resident and non-resident individuals and businesses.
Here is a list of the four largest financial institutions in Switzerland in terms of total assets.
Largest Banks in Switzerland by Total Assets
- UBS (CHF 1.7 trillion)
- Julius Baer (CHF 457 billion)
- Raiffeisen Schweiz (CHF 300 billion)
- Zurcher Kantonalbank (CHF 192 billion)
These four banks represent a small number of the total of 243 banks active in the country. These 243 banks are broken into 9 categories, including foreign banks, regional banks, private banks, and more.
Finding the right bank for your banking needs requires a combination of finding a trustworthy bank and a bank that accepts your client profile.
This means you need to understand your client profile, personal banking, private banking, or business banking needs, desired deposit level, and much more before you start the process of applying for an account.
We discuss the costs of banking in Switzerland in our free guide, which you access by clicking here.
Let’s now take a look at how you open a bank account with one of the largest financial institutions in Switzerland.
How Do I Open Bank Accounts in Switzerland?
Importantly, if you are looking to open personal bank accounts in Switzerland as a non-resident, there are other banks (not listed above) that are usually more accessible and better suited to non-residents.
It’s important to directly compare all of the offshore banking options available to you so you ensure you are choosing the one that will realistically open bank accounts for you. This is especially important if you are opening as a non-resident or for a foreign (or offshore) entity that requires a bank account in the local currency, the Swiss Franc. The largest banks, in these instances, are often more difficult to open with.
How Do I Find the Best Bank in Switzerland?
Finding the best banks in Switzerland for your needs requires comparing all of the bank account opening options available to you. This includes comparing the benefits of banking in Switzerland to identify the bank that is best suited to your banking needs.
Depending on your client profile, there are risks to banking in Switzerland you need to consider as well. This is especially true if you want to send money to Switzerland since some banks have restrictions on how money is received.
Start directly comparing your bank account options in Switzerland by immediately accessing hundreds of banks in the GlobalBanks IQ Database. Each bank profile includes detailed account opening requirements, preferred clients, important considerations and risks, and much more. You see everything you get instant access to when you join GlobalBanks IQ below.
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Frequently Asked Swiss Banking Questions
Below are a few of the most common questions we receive from people asking about the largest banks in Switzerland. If you have further questions you would like answered, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
What Are the Top 3 Banks in Switzerland?
The top 3 largest Swiss banks in terms of total assets are UBS Group, Julius Baer, and Raiffeisen Schweiz. Together, these three banks represent CHF 2.457 trillion in total assets.
Which Is the No 1 Bank in Switzerland?
The number one Swiss bank in Switzerland in terms of total assets is UBS. Not only does it have over CHF 1.7 trillion in total assets, but it’s also one of the top banks in the world. UBS offers a variety of banking products and services, including retail banking, investment banking, and wealth management services to both non-resident and Swiss resident clients.
What’s the Largest Swiss Bank?
The largest Swiss bank is UBS Group AG. UBS Group AG has been in existence since June 1998. It is now one of the top banks in the world and the largest bank in Switzerland, with total assets surpassing CHF 1.7 trillion.
What American Banks Are in Switzerland?
The American banks in Switzerland include Citibank, J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs Bank, Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, and State Street Bank.
Do You Want Help Opening Swiss Bank Accounts?
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