Business accounts: Switzerland
An honest assessment before work starts, the quote is fixed in writing.
Switzerland is one of the world's main financial centres, with a stable currency, a developed court system and company taxes that are low by European standards. Banks are supervised by the Financial Market Supervisory Authority. A business account here is opened mainly for a Swiss company, and the bank is involved from the very first step: the share capital is paid into a special account before registration. A Swiss bank will rarely open an account for a foreign company with no business in Switzerland, and only for a compelling reason.
A Swiss company and the account
| Question | Limited liability company | Stock corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum capital | CHF 20,000, ~$24,100, paid in full | CHF 100,000, ~$120,400, of which at least 50,000 paid in |
| Capital account | opened at a bank before notarial incorporation; the bank issues a deposit confirmation | |
| Who must live in Switzerland | at least one person authorised to sign for the company | |
| Registration | in the cantonal commercial register after notarial incorporation | |
Dollar amounts are converted at the European Central Bank rate of 5 October 2026, about $1.20 per franc, and rounded up.
We will calculate online the cost of opening an account for your company and maintaining it for a year.
What the bank will check
- Articles, a commercial register extract, lists of directors and authorised signatories.
- Ultimate beneficial owners: Swiss banks require a written declaration about them.
- Business model, clients, suppliers, payment countries and currencies, expected turnover.
- Real presence: an office, staff, a local director.
- Source of capital and of the owners' funds, with documents.
How the opening works
- Structure assessment and choice of bank: major banks, cantonal banks or private banks for your profile.
- Document pack, business and source of funds description, meeting with the bank.
- Opening the capital account and paying in the funds.
- Notarial incorporation and registration in the commercial register.
- Transfer of the capital to the company's ordinary account, online banking setup.
From the first bank meeting to company registration usually takes three to eight weeks, mostly for the bank's review.
Company taxes
| Tax | How it works |
|---|---|
| Corporate income tax | federal, cantonal and communal combined, usually 12% to 21% depending on the canton |
| Value added tax | 8.1% since 2024, registration from CHF 100,000 turnover |
| Withholding tax on dividends | 35%, partly refundable to non-residents under treaties |
Restrictions for Russian citizens
Switzerland applies sanctions close to the EU's: banks do not accept deposits above CHF 100,000 from Russian citizens and people living in Russia unless they hold Swiss or European Economic Area citizenship or residence. This also covers companies they own. We check whether such clients can be served before preparing documents.
Who gets refused
The bank will refuse if the company has no real business in Switzerland, if the ownership structure is opaque, if the source of capital cannot be proven with documents, or if the company, its owners or counterparties are linked to sanctions.
What we do
Murblz specialists assess the chances before applying, choose a bank for your model, prepare documents, the business description and the explanation of the source of capital, and arrange the bank meeting, the capital account, notarial incorporation and company registration. If needed, we help find a director with signing authority who lives in Switzerland. We fix the estimate in writing; the decision to open an account always rests with the bank.
Fees
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Swiss bank account opening assistance | $7 000 |
Capital is paid in before incorporation, and a signatory lives in Switzerland
The law does not stop you applying to a Swiss bank on your own. But mistakes cost more than the fee: the capital account is opened before the company is incorporated before a notary, at least one authorised signatory must live in Switzerland, and restrictions for certain citizenships surface only after filing. Murblz support removes these risks: we check whether this route is open to you, choose a bank for the capital and for operations, prepare the file and fix the budget in writing. We guarantee professional work and a transparent process, and in most cases a result on the first filing.
The support fee depends on the bank, the company structure and turnover; a manager will calculate it in the chat.
See also
Company formation · Personal account · Investment property · Country taxes · All country programs
FAQ
Can a foreigner open an account for a Swiss company?
How much capital does a Swiss company need?
Is a director living in Switzerland required?
What taxes does a Swiss company pay?
Can Russian citizens open a company account in Switzerland?
How long do the account and registration take?
How much does it cost to open a company account with your help?
Need a company account with a Swiss bank?
We match a bank in Switzerland to your company's profile and assets, build the pack with source of funds and handle the bank correspondence until it decides. The catalogue covers every country.
The Murblz consultant replies straight away in the chat on this page. Describe your situation and we will work it out together.
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