Banks in Switzerland

Credit Suisse head office Pictet & Cie Raiffeisen Schweiz Bank Sarasin & Cie UBS
Credit Suisse Pictet & Cie Raiffeisen J. Safra Sarasin UBS

The Swiss banking system includes the "Two Big Banks" (UBS and Credit Suisse), 24 cantonal banks, private banks, cooperative Raiffeisen Group and foreign banks. UBS and Credit Suisse account for over 50% of the banking sector’s total assets and deposits. Banks are normally open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday except for holidays.

Bank Cler AG (formerly Bank Coop) – A universal bank providing a wide range of products and services for personal customers and small and medium-sized businesses.

Bank J. Safra Sarasin – One of Switzerland's largest private banks. It provides investment advisory and asset management services for private and institutional clients.

Bank Zweiplus provides custody services to asset managers and financial services providers. It operates as a subsidiary of Bank J. Safra Sarasin AG.

Bank for International Settlements – An international financial institution which serves as a bank for central banks. It was established in 1930 and is based in Basel, Switzerland.

BSI – A Swiss private bank providing asset management and related services for private and institutional clients. In 2016, it was acquired by EFG International AG.

Clariden Leu was an exclusive Swiss private bank with over 250 years of experience in private banking.

Credit Suisse – One of the leading financial services providers with offices in 50 countries. Its business areas include private banking, wealth management and investment banking. As of May 10, 2018, Credit Suisse had a market capitalization of approximately US$44 billion.

EFG Bank AG is part of EFG International, a global private banking group headquartered in Zurich. It offers private banking services to individuals and institutions.

Falcon Private Bank – One of the leading Swiss private banking boutiques offering products and services to private clients, wealthy families and institutional investors. The Bank accepts deposits of US$5 million and above.

Habib Bank AG Zurich – A commercial bank incorporated in Switzerland. It is privately owned and managed by the Habib family.

Julius Baer – One of the largest private banks in Switzerland. As of March 2017, it had total client assets of about CHF 400 billion and assets under management of over CHF 330 billion.

Notenstein La Roche Private Bank – A Swiss private bank based in St. Gallen. It operates as a subsidiary of Raiffeisen (Switzerland).

Raiffeisen Schweiz – The third-largest banking group and the leading retail bank in Switzerland. Raiffeisen claims 20 percent of the country’s market share for traditional customer deposits.

Rothschild Bank AG – An independent Swiss bank specializing in private banking and asset management. The Bank is a part of Rothschild Group.

Swiss Bankers Association – The leading site on swiss banking, finance, banking secrecy, private banking and etc.

Swiss National Bank (SNB) – The central bank of Switzerland established in 1907. It manages the gold reserves of Switzerland, which amount to 1,040 tonnes.

Union Bancaire Privée (UBP) – One of the major Swiss wealth management banks and a leader in the hedge fund industry. With a Tier-1 ratio of over 22%, UBP is one of the best-capitalized Swiss banks.

UBS Group – A leading global financial services company with operations in more than 50 countries and 59,000 employees. As of June 30, 2017, it had total assets of CHF 891 billion.

Valiant Holding AG – A Swiss financial services provider. It operates through a network of more than 100 local branches in the Swiss cantons of Aargau, Basel, Berne, Fribourg, Jura, Lucerne, Solothurn, Waandt and Zug.

Vontobel Holding AG provides wealth management services for private and institutional clients. The firm operates in Europe, North America, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region.

Wegelin & Co is the oldest Swiss private bank established in 1741. In January 2012, Wegelin & Co. transferred a majority of clients and staff to Notenstein Private Bank.

WIR Bank – An independent complementary currency system serving small and medium-sized enterprises. Established in October 1934 in Zurich, it has around 60,000 members.

Swiss Cantonal Banks

There are 24 Cantonal banks in Switzerland. They are 100% or majority-owned by the cantons. The banks focus on loans to small and medium-sized companies and retail banking.

  Assets, CHF b, 06/2017   Assets, CHF b, 06/2017
Aargauische Kantonalbank (AKB) 26.607 Glarner Kantonalbank 5.599
Appenzeller Kantonalbank (APPKB) 3.164 Graubundner Kantonalbank 24.495
Banca dello Stato del Cantone Ticino 13.182 Luzerner Kantonalbank (LUKB) 35.739
Banque Cantonale de Fribourg 21.869 Nidwaldner Kantonalbank 4.677
Banque Cantonale de Geneve (BCGE) 21.401 Obwaldner Kantonalbank 4.470
Banque Cantonale du Jura 2.989 Schaffhauser Kantonalbank 7.435
Banque Cantonale du Valais 15.348 Schwyzer Kantonalbank 17.050
Banque Cantonale Neuchateloise 10.745 St. Galler Kantonalbank 32.527
Banque Cantonale Vaudoise (BCV) 45.079 Thurgauer Kantonalbank 22.235
Basellandschaftliche Kantonalbank 23.866 Urner Kantonalbank 3.221
Basler Kantonalbank (BKB) 40.332 Zuger Kantonalbank 14.565
Berner Kantonalbank (BEKB|BCBE) 29.340 Zurcher Kantonalbank (ZKB) 158.378

Family Owned Swiss Banks

Baumann & Cie

Bordier & Cie

E. Gutzwiller & Cie, Banquiers

Gonet & Cie

Hinduja Bank (Switzerland) Ltd

Hottinger & Cie

La Roche & Co. merged with Notenstein Private Bank in 2015.

Lombard Odier

Mirabaud & Cie

Mourgue d'Algue & Cie

Pictet & Cie

Rahn & Bodmer Co.

Reichmuth & Co.

Union Bancaire Privée

Top 10 Banks in Switzerland

Following are the largest banks in Switzerland according to their assets.

 Total assets (CHF billion)

Rank Bank 31.12.2017 31.12.2016 31.12.2015 31.12.2014 31.12.2013 31.12.2012 31.12.2011
1 UBS Group AG 915.613 935.016 942.819 1,062.48 1,013.36 1,259.80 1,416.96
2 Credit Suisse Group 796.289 819.861 820.805 921.462 872.806 924.280 1,049.17
3 Raiffeisen Group 228.148 * 218.590 205.748 188.640 176.575 168.124 155.889
4 Zürcher Kantonalbank 163.881 157.985 154.41 158.392 149.707 150.694 133.999
5 Julius Baer Group 97.918 96.207 84.116 82.234 72.522 54.821 52.929
6 Banque Cantonale Vaudoise 45.415 44.085 43.418 41.819 40.454 39.800 37.903
7 EFG International 42.022 * 42.186 26.796 25.344 21.699 23.605 21.041
8 Basler Kantonalbank 40.332 * 38.512 38.514 38.062 39.193 39.128 38.760
9 Luzerner Kantonalbank 35.882 34.855 33.272 29.233 28.444 28.044 26.856
10 St. Galler Kantonalbank 32.598 32.201 31.189 30.317 27.852 27.638 26.074
11 Union Bancaire Privee 32.036 30.823 25.215 20.208 18.387 18.860 17.983

* Data as of June 30, 2017