How to send money to Switzerland in 2026: an account, the bank's check, large sums
Switzerland accepts transfers with no limit on the amount: a Swiss bank opens an account and credits a large sum after checking where the money comes from and who its real owner is. Since August 2024 payments between Swiss banks have been instant. Deposits at one bank are protected up to 100,000 francs.
In short
- The route for a large sum is a bank transfer to your own account at a Swiss bank in francs, euros or dollars.
- There is no currency control, and bringing in your own money is not taxed.
- The account number has 21 characters, and deposits are protected up to $130,000 (100,000 francs) at one bank.
- On deposit interest over 200 francs a year the bank withholds 35% tax.
In detail
In 2026 money can be sent to Switzerland by bank transfer to your own account at a Swiss bank - in francs, euros, dollars and other currencies; small sums for living go through money transfer services. There is no currency control, and before opening an account and crediting a large sum the bank checks who the real owner of the money is and where it comes from.
Dollar amounts are at the Swiss National Bank rate on 7 October 2026, 0.8332 francs per dollar, rounded up. The rules were checked on 8 October 2026.
Sending money to Switzerland now: a short summary on 8 October 2026
| Route | Status | Currency | Limit | What you need |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A transfer to your own account at a Swiss bank | works | francs, euros, dollars and other currencies | no legal limit | a beneficial owner form, documents on the origin of wealth |
| An instant transfer inside Switzerland | works since 20 August 2024 | francs | under the bank's tariff | accounts at Swiss banks on both sides |
| A money transfer service | partly: depends on the sender's country | francs | small sums | the recipient's ID |
Inside Switzerland instant payments have worked since 20 August 2024: money between accounts at Swiss banks arrives in seconds at any time of day. This does not work from abroad: first an ordinary transfer to your own Swiss account, and only then fast payments inside the country.
A transfer to a Swiss bank for a non-resident
A foreigner without a residence permit opens an account in Switzerland at the bank's discretion, and a Swiss bank checks a client longer and more deeply than its neighbours. It asks not only for a passport and address but also who the real owner of the money is: this is a separate form signed by the client. The bank then looks into how the wealth arose: work, business, the sale of a company or property, an inheritance. Each large source needs a document.
The usual set for opening an account:
- a passport and proof of residential address;
- a form on the real owner of the money;
- a tax residence statement: Swiss banks report account information to the tax authorities of the countries with which Switzerland exchanges such information;
- a description of your career and the source of wealth with supporting documents;
- for a company - the articles, a register extract and information on the owners.
For a transfer the sender needs the 21-character international account number, the bank's international code and the holder's name exactly as recorded at the bank: the exact name is the main condition for fast crediting. Deposits at Swiss banks are protected by the deposit guarantee scheme up to 100,000 francs ($130,000) per client at one bank. Each bank sets its own minimum for opening an account and its own service fees, and at private banks they are noticeably higher than at retail banks. So the bank is chosen in advance for the amount, the country of residence and the source of the money: then the account is opened on the first application. A manager will advise how best to transfer money for your amount.
How a Swiss bank checks a large transfer
- Up to $13,000 (10,000 francs). An ordinary check: the bank matches the name, the payment purpose and whether the transfer looks like your usual income.
- From $13,000 to $130,000 (10,000-100,000 francs). The bank asks about the source and purpose, and for a one-off large sum a supporting document.
- Over $130,000 (100,000 francs). A full pack on the origin of wealth: sale contracts, statements for several years, tax returns, inheritance documents.
How to put such a pack together is explained in proof of source of funds and sending large sums abroad. Capital from $1 million is best transferred under a plan agreed with the bank in advance: discuss the plan with a manager, and all legal ways to move capital are collected on the capital relocation page.
We will help you send money to Switzerland
Mistakes cost more than fees: a transfer to a bank that refuses the client after months of checks, a bank whose minimum does not suit your amount, an incomplete beneficial owner form, a source of wealth with no documents. We will help you avoid them: we will choose a route for your amount and country of residence, prepare the pack on the origin of wealth and carry out the transfer through licensed partners.
Details and cost are with a manager in the chat: they depend on the amount, the sending country and the purpose of the transfer.
Taxes: 35% on deposit interest and what to do about it
A transfer of your own money to Switzerland is not taxed. But 35% withholding tax is deducted from interest on a deposit at a Swiss bank if the interest for the year exceeded 200 francs ($250). A Swiss resident credits the amount withheld in their tax return, while a non-resident gets part of it back under their country's double tax treaty with Switzerland, if there is one.
If you move to Switzerland, a wealth tax set by the canton is added to income tax: it is calculated on your whole fortune, including money on accounts. A foreigner who moves and does not work in Switzerland can, in most cantons, pay tax based on living expenses instead of income and wealth tax, but in Zurich and several other cantons this regime has been abolished. Rates and rules are on the taxes in Switzerland page.
Buying a home in Switzerland: the canton's permit
A foreigner who lives outside Switzerland needs a canton's permit to buy a flat or a house, and it is issued mainly for holiday homes within annual quotas. Citizens of European Union and European Free Trade Association countries with a residence permit and foreigners with a permanent residence permit buy homes without a permit. Money for the deal is transferred to the notary's account or to your own Swiss account, and the bank checks it as strictly as when opening an account.
Details of the deal are in buying a flat in Switzerland, and a residence permit for wealthy people is on the Swiss residence permit for investors page.
Sending money to other countries in Europe
Your own money leaves Switzerland freely, as there is no currency control. Most often it goes to neighbouring countries:
- How to send money to Germany
- How to send money to Italy
- How to send money to Liechtenstein
- How to send money to Austria
- How to send money to France
- How to send money to Guernsey
All legal ways to move capital and the costs step by step are on the capital relocation page.
FAQ
Can a non-resident open an account at a Swiss bank?
How much will a Swiss bank withhold from deposit interest?
Is there currency control in Switzerland?
Can a foreigner buy a flat in Switzerland?
How many characters does a Swiss bank account number have?
We will suggest the best way to send your money
We will choose a transfer method for your amount and country, prepare the documents on the origin of the money for the bank, make the transfer through licensed partners and follow it until the money is credited. Ask your question in the chat - the manager will suggest the best terms and the cost. The legal side with banks and government bodies is handled by Murblz specialists and locally licensed partners.
Details and cost are with the manager in the chat. Describe your situation and we will reply right away.
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