Keeping money in a Swiss bank. Is it possible for a Russian citizen to open a deposit in a Swiss bank and how to do it? What account can I open in a Swiss bank

home » Contributions, deposits Keeping money in a Swiss bank. Is it possible for a Russian citizen to open a deposit in a Swiss bank and how to do it? What account can I open in a Swiss bank

The expression "put money in a Swiss bank" has always been synonymous with the safe and anonymous storage of any amount of money, especially large ones. It was also believed that any wealthy citizen of any country could put money in a Swiss bank, and at the same time he could hide the sources of his income and the amounts stored in the accounts.

However, time brings its own adjustments to the established stereotypes, including in the financial sector, perhaps even somewhat faster than in other areas of human activity. After all, finance is this moment one of the fastest growing areas is electronic payments, electronic money, new card products, cloud systems and partner banking programs. Here is just a small piece of what modernity brings to the financial sector.

And the myth of "money in a Swiss bank" was no exception, it fell victim to the new time.

Keep money securely in Swiss banks

Once upon a time, Swiss banks were a symbol of reliability. Just, for example, how Greece was a symbol of the fact that "everything is in Greece."

The illustration, as they say, is obvious.

At present, the Swiss banking system is going through perhaps not the best of times. And keeping money on the territory of the Canton of Geneva is as safe as on the territory of the Moscow Region.

In fact, your money, within reasonable limits, also feels safe on the accounts of Sberbank of Russia, as well as on the accounts of any Swiss bank.

Swiss banks do not extradite their clients

Well, everyone reads materials on the Internet. And the news can no longer be hidden. The scandals of 2012, when Swiss bankers "without a fight" handed over their clients to representatives of the American authorities, forever changed the attitude to this myth around the world.

Now there is virtually no such thing as a “secret Swiss contribution”.

Now, upon any request from representatives of Interpol or the national ministries of internal affairs of any country, banks issue information on any account of any of their clients.

Everything, the secret of the Swiss contribution is over. With the same success, you can put your money in Alfa-Bank or VTB24. There they will be even safer from someone else's prying eyes.

Make a few simple moves:

- Divide your deposits into small amounts of 500-700 thousand rubles.

- Do not put all your money under one name (use close relatives).

- Do not keep each deposit in one place for more than 2 terms of the contract.

And your deposits in Russia will be protected as well as or even better than deposits in Swiss banks.

Keeping money in Swiss banks is profitable

It may have once been really advantageous to keep money in Swiss banks. Interest rates of 3-5 percent per annum in US dollars, coupled with secret information on the account, made the offers of Swiss banks very attractive.

But time passes, and with the current situation with the dollar and the euro and the failure of the information security system of the Swiss banking system, such proposals are already “out of the market”.

Against this background, Russian banks can offer much more interesting options for storing money - you just have to carefully look at the offers and choose the best one.

Myth and reality - money in a Swiss bank

Basic information

To get started, in order to open an account with a Swiss financial institution, it is worth studying the following aspects:

can you, as a citizen who does not always arrive in Switzerland, open an account in a Swiss bank;
can you open an account in Switzerland to pay real estate expenses;
how long it will take to open an account with a Swiss financial institution;
Do you need to deposit any amount of finance into the account? If so, what are the amounts of such contribution;
whether it is possible to open an account in a Swiss financial institution via the Internet, mail, cellular, e-mail or fax;
do you have documents available that a financial institution may require when opening an account with a Swiss financial institution;
whether it will be possible to open an account in a Swiss bank in foreign currency - or dollars;
whether the opening of an account with a Swiss financial institution will be kept confidential;
what is the savings guarantee financial resources in an account with a Swiss financial institution;
whether the method will use a credit card that is associated with the billing;
what is the price for the provision of services for opening an account in a Swiss financial institution;
whether they will pay profit on the amount of the contribution;
whether you can close an account with a Swiss financial institution at your convenience.

What it is

A deposit is the process of transferring the depositor's funds to the bank at interest with their return after a certain time or at the request of the client.

By investing money in a bank, you begin to make a profit from them. The Swiss National Bank is the central financial institution of Switzerland.

Confidentiality	This is the safety of information from leakage.
Personal bank account	This is an option for physical persons who plan to actively carry out actions with the account, that is, receive wages, pay via invoice, etc. When opening an account of this type, it is also possible to get access to all the services provided by the organization
savings account	This is an option for individuals who plan to set aside finances, save them and earn interest.
	This is an option for individuals who want to engage in investments and deposits in securities

Contact information (official site)

If you know a foreign language, you can go to the official website of the Swiss National Bank https://www.snb.ch, and get acquainted with the information.

You can also use the services of financial institutions to issue accounts:

UBS AG (Union Bank of Switzerland);
Credit Suisse Group;
Raiffeisen Group.

Regulatory regulation

Swiss financial institutions conduct their activities in accordance with regulatory documentation, namely:

According to Swiss law, banks have dormant accounts, deposits are considered as such if the correspondence has ceased to reach the addressee, and if the bank has learned about the death of the depositor.

How to make a deposit in a Swiss bank

The first thing to remember is that Swiss financial institutions use a system of very strict rules regarding opening accounts, regardless of the location of the client.

Due diligence laws in Switzerland require a financial institution to verify identity individual according to the official document.

If the Swiss financial institution you are interested in has a subsidiary, branch or representative office in the territory where you live, then such verification can be done at your place.

If the financial institution is not represented, then you must personally contact a financial institution in Switzerland or contact an intermediary financial institution so that they can arrange an audience with Swiss bankers for you and provide you with all the additional information you need.

All the necessary information on how to open an account with a Swiss financial institution should be obtained from intermediaries that provide such services, or contact directly with a Swiss financial institution.

What conditions are offered

Conditions provided by the financial institution:

a way to open an account in Swiss francs (CHF), euros (EUR), British pounds sterling (GBP) and yuan;
responsible storage of account information;
secure storage of finances;
the advantage of using a credit card, which is associated with the opening of an account;
payment of profit according to the amount of the contribution;
the ability to close the account on demand.

Required documents

To open a deposit account with a bank in Switzerland, you will need a passport, identification card or other identification document.

Moreover, the bank has the right to demand a document on the source of income. This may be a certificate from the place of work, or from the tax office.

Also, a banking organization may request documents on the origin of funds - an agreement on the sale of valuables, etc.

In addition, the bank checks whether the tax has been paid on the deposited money. Banks try to check customers as much as possible, especially new ones.

Sometimes other documents may be required (at the discretion of the organization). It is worth pointing out that from year to year, credit structures show more stringent requests for the composition of the package of documents.

Can I apply online

Most banking organizations provide the opportunity to open an account in electronic format. For example, to register with the Swiss Forex Bank, you need:

Register on the bank's website and receive documents for opening an account.
Fill out the agreement and sign it, then send it to the bank branch in Geneva. Certified copies of documents must be sent along with the agreement.
Deposit money and get a username and password.

Some banks may also request original documents. The account is opened within 1-7 days after receiving the documents.

It is important to note that no bank will open an account without presenting documents. Do not trust intermediaries offering this kind of deal.

How much does the service cost

Opening a bank account in Switzerland is free. But his service, banking operations, correspondence require payment.

The amount of the fee is set by the bank itself, there is a significant difference between different banks. Alas, in some cases, the cost of maintenance may exceed the amount of expected interest.

With an amount of 6500 Swiss francs, the following offers will be the most profitable:

If the amount is 25,000 Swiss francs, it will be more economical to be served in the following banks:

Banca Polare	935 francs
Zweiplus	731 francs
post finance	387 francs

All amounts are for service over a period of five years. However, the basic tariff does not cancel the payment for individual services. For example, using an ATM of another bank, etc.

There is also a noticeable trend towards an individual approach, when discounts and benefits are offered to different types of customers. Most often, such conditions are offered to young people (20-25 years old) and pensioners.

Moreover, by entering into an agreement with a university or other educational institution, banks do not charge a commission from students. You need to study, of course, in Switzerland.

Minimum investment amount

Minimum amount investment depends only on the bank. More than 250 Swiss banks dictate their own terms.

There is a pattern - the larger the financial institution, the larger the amount required for the minimum investment.

On average, this is an amount from 500 to 700 thousand Swiss francs. Of course, you can find much smaller amounts. More detailed information can be found on the websites of banks, by phone, and also from intermediaries.

Do not be sad if you need to have too much money in your account to open it. Each specific case is negotiated on an individual basis.

It is noteworthy that residents of Switzerland, as well as those who cross the border for work purposes with a certain frequency, have the right to issue an invoice without the obligatory payment of a minimum amount. This is possible at UBS, Raiffeisen, Credit Suisse, Postfinance and cantonal banks.

List of financial and credit organizations

As already mentioned, there are about 250 banks in Switzerland. Of course, the choice depends on personal goals.

If you want to work with all financial instruments (buying shares, for example), you should contact big banks also known as giants.

If you have a goal to get a standard set in the form of an account and a card, small banks that provide theirs to non-residents are quite suitable for you.

Yes, it is worth noting that not all banks work with non-resident clients. The table below will tell you the safest and most time-tested banks that work with clients from Russia:

banking organization	Types of deposits	The smallest contribution / balance
C.I.M Bank	Personal and corporate in any currency	5 000 USD/EUR
Credit Suisse Zurich	Personal and corporate	500 00 USD if the size increases by 2 times within two years
ClaridenLeu Bank Zurich	Investment savings	Minimum balance CHF 500 thousand
UBS Zurich	Investment savings	Minimum balance 1 million CHF/USD
Bank Julius Bar Zurich	Investment savings	Minimum balance CHF 1 million
Bank Sarasin Zurich	Private and corporate	Minimum balance CHF 320 thousand

Interest rates for today

You need to understand that most Swiss banks refuse non-residents to open a standard current account.

The offer remains only for the "investment" account, where the percentage is set according to the selected portfolio and market conditions. What is the interest rate on deposits in Swiss banks?

We can definitely say that a Swiss bank is not suitable as a way of income. Many domestic banks offer much more favorable conditions.

Deposits in Swiss banks for Russians offer interest of 2-3% per annum, which, you see, is several times less than the offers of domestic banks.

Advantages and disadvantages

What are the advantages of Swiss banks? Definitely, this is a high level of insurance and the absence of high-risk operations. Also, many investors are attracted by the absence of taxes.

It is impossible not to note the banking secrecy - financial institutions keep it with all their might. Such pluses encourage most depositors to choose Swiss banks.

However, the disadvantages are also noticeable - the income from such deposits is very small, and maintaining the account can work against you.

Many people have large enough savings, so it is natural to want to invest money in such a way that they bring profit. There are many different investment projects, which are attractive in terms of profitability, but they have a certain risk of loss, which is not liked by most people whose main activity is not related to investments. Therefore, as a rule, they want to profitably invest money in the bank, thus keeping it intact, and also receiving interest.

There are many different lending institutions that you can invest in, but quite a few licenses have been revoked lately, so people don't know which bank to trust. It is believed that the most stable bank is the Swiss one, since high interest is paid there, and you can not worry about the safety of funds. Investing in a Swiss bank is real, but for this you need to have certain knowledge. Russian citizens have the opportunity to keep their own funds in a Swiss bank, and it is there that there are very high and favorable interest rates for depositors. Keeping money in these credit institutions is very prestigious, and all funds will always be safe.

Barriers to investing in a Swiss bank

Swiss banks do not provide an opportunity to invest funds to any person who wishes, as they impose certain requirements and conditions. As a result, a person who wants to invest money in a bank at interest passes a thorough and serious check, which is significantly different from that carried out in Russia. To invest, you must have an exceptionally positive reputation, a good credit history, and also provide a recommendation from a person who is a client of the bank of interest. Minimum size the deposit is 100 thousand euros, so only a wealthy person can invest. Another mandatory requirement is documentary and official confirmation of the potential investor's income.

It should also be remembered that in order to invest in a Swiss bank, it is necessary to obtain an appropriate permit from the tax RF, and it is quite difficult to obtain it. As soon as it is in hand, it should be sent to the bank in which it is supposed to open an account. Next, the bank must issue an invoice for a new client, and after paying it, the Russian becomes a full-fledged client of the Swiss bank. However, in reality, it is very difficult to fulfill all the conditions and carry out operations.

Benefits of investing in a Swiss bank

Many people dream of having deposits in a Swiss bank, because these actions are profitable and have many advantages. First of all, they include the fact that there is almost no risk of losing the invested money. This cannot be said about Russian banks because even the largest organizations can become bankrupt in a matter of days.

Another advantage is that even economic and criminal risks are eliminated, and the investor's capital becomes independent of oil or gas prices. Any client of a Swiss bank can be 100% sure that banking secrecy will never be revealed, and all transactions are carried out exclusively confidentially. The interest rates offered by the Swiss bank for its depositors are very attractive and quite high, and it is this advantage that is the most important and significant for many potential investors. Also, you don’t have to pay too much money for maintaining an account, so using the services of a Swiss bank is very convenient and beneficial for anyone who has the right amount of money.

It is quite difficult to invest in a Swiss bank, and this became possible for Russians relatively recently due to a certain bilateral agreement.

However, before preparing all required documents it is recommended to initially select a specific Swiss bank from all available credit institutions. Usually here one has to face a difficult and problematic choice, since almost any Swiss bank is reliable and stable, and interest rates are no different.

It is best to focus on term deposits because they are the ones that make the most money. Another profitable option is to transfer the existing financial assets to the bank, which will use them for investment management.

Investing in a Swiss bank is an opportunity to keep them in a safe place, as well as receive a good income from this.

Car loans

Legislation

Business ideas

Contents Urgent Stamp Making Who will act as buyers Where to start a business Equipment for doing business There are many types of businesses that can be started by people with entrepreneurial ability. Moreover, each option has its own unique features and parameters. Urgent production of seals and stamps The business idea of manufacturing seals and stamps is considered quite attractive in terms of..
Table of Contents Card Making Business Idea How to Start a Custom Card Making Business Employees Premises How to Sell Customized Cards Many people with some entrepreneurial ability are thinking about starting their own business, while evaluating and considering a large number of different options for starting. The business idea of making postcards is considered quite interesting, since postcards are such elements that are in demand.
Contents Choosing a Gym Premises What do you need to open a gym? The gym is becoming more and more popular in today's world as more and more people think about how to lead a healthy lifestyle that involves proper nutrition and exercise. Therefore, any businessman can open a gym, but to get good income, you need to think about it..
Contents Store Location Assortment of Products Vendors Bijouterie is a wardrobe essential for every woman who looks after herself and tries to look attractive and bright. Therefore, almost every entrepreneur who is aware of the possibility of making good profits wants to open his own jewelry store. To do this, it is necessary to study all available prospects, draw up a business plan and predict possible income in order to decide whether it will be..

Switzerland is known for its stable economy, strong currency and balanced banking system. Financial institutions are very popular among businessmen all over the world. First of all, banks meet the requirements of reliability and are able to maintain the confidentiality of information, but there is no need to talk about high incomes, especially in the short term. So why do people from all over the world make deposits in Swiss banks, how profitable it is and how to draw up an agreement, we will consider in the article.

Who chooses Swiss banks and why

Switzerland is attractive because it has a stable political course, this country avoids any global conflicts, does not make political decisions regarding the growth and development of third countries in the international arena, and also excludes any military actions.

The Swiss franc is the most reliable currency, which throughout history has been subject to the least volatility and, even more so, recession. This currency can be called more reliable than the American dollar or the British pound.

If we compare the main foreign currencies in relation to the value of gold, then, for example, the dollar has fallen in price by 30 times, the British pound by 100 times. While the Swiss remains fairly stable. It fell in comparison with gold only 10 times.

Switzerland's banks are aiming for a slightly different course of development. If in world practice the main source of profit is lending or assets at the expense of attracted capital, then the Swiss model involves, first of all, trust management of depositors' funds.

One of the main advantages of the banking system in this country is the guarantee of confidentiality. Banking companies assure customers that information on their deposits will not be provided to third parties or other countries, even through formal court requests.

True, in connection with the recent incident about the disclosure of the data of American depositors, the authority of Swiss banks was somewhat undermined. However, despite low interest rates, high service fees and a difficult registration procedure, deposits opened in Switzerland are not decreasing.

The secret is that clients do not plan to receive interest on deposits and earn money, but their main goal is to save money. Such depositors choose the reliability and stability of the banking system.

What is required to open an account

There are several ways to open a deposit account:

Through the Internet. You can create an application on the official website of the bank you like. You can provide documents by mail to the legal address or by fax.
through intermediary firms. Such companies can do all the work for you, for a certain amount of money. When choosing an organization for cooperation, you should pay attention to its experience and user reviews, as there is a risk of encountering a fraudulent company.
through bank representatives. Some banking companies send their employees to Moscow at regular intervals. A Credit Suisse specialist is in the capital once a month. A representative of Credit Lyonnais visits no more than once every six months.
Personal visit. The last option is to apply on your own to a bank branch located in Switzerland. Most banks have specialists who speak Russian.

Each method will require original documents.

The package of documents for opening a deposit includes:

Statement.
Passport.
Documents confirming income. It is worth paying special attention to this point, since the bank will check the legality of income.

The deposit can be opened within seven days from the date of receipt of official documents.

Credit Suisse is one of the largest financial institutions in Switzerland.

Conditions

Each Swiss bank insures deposits at interest in the amount of 100,000 francs. If the deposit is opened in another currency, then insurance is carried out taking into account the conversion. You can open an account by placing from 300,000 to 500,000 francs. But this is the offer of the largest companies, such as Credit Suisse.

Other, smaller financial institutions have alternative options. Thus, the Discount Bank and Trust Company provides the opportunity to place funds from 50,000 francs. And UBS allows you to open a deposit with a symbolic 1,000 euros.

Large deposits imply high interest on maintenance. The cost of the annual commission is about 1,000 francs. Although there are offers where from 50 to 100 euros are charged for servicing accounts.

Interest rates

It should be understood that the economy European countries and Russia is at different levels. In Russia, inflation is about 10%, at best it is 5%. Therefore, bank deposits offer a yield of up to 10%. The average offer varies from 5 to 7%.

The interest rate on the deposit must exceed the inflation rate. The difference between them will be the net discounted income, i.e. this will be the profit that the investor receives. Thus, the income on the deposit will not be 10%, which the banks declare, but the difference between the bank offer and the actual inflation rate.

What percentage is in Swiss banks? And here an unusual situation arises for the Russian consumer. Since the best deals hover around 0.5%. And then if you open an account in francs, in a currency other than francs, the bank can charge 0%, i.e. no interest at all.

Thus, a standard bank deposit in Switzerland will not bring profit to a Russian depositor.

What are the reasons for such behavior of banks? It lies in the policy of the central bank of Europe and America. Since 2014 central banks West, whose example was followed by the National Bank of Switzerland, charge negative interest when keeping money in correspondent accounts of commercial banks. Thus, the growth of investments in the real sector of the economy is stimulated.

It is believed that it would be unprofitable for banking companies to keep money on correspondent accounts, and they should be directed to the development of industry, agriculture, and so on. It is too early to evaluate such a policy, but there is a tendency that money is directed to speculative actions of stock and currency markets rather than economic development.

By charging minimal interest on deposits, Swiss banks provoke investment growth

In any case, for the depositor, this means that he will no longer be able to make a profit from a regular deposit. Especially being a resident of a country with a high level of inflation, for example, for those in the CIS.

As for Switzerland, even such low interest rates on deposits can generate income for a citizen of this country. This is due to the fact that inflation has been zero for many years, that is, prices in stores do not grow. Moreover, there is a tendency to deflation. When the cost of products goes down.

Thus, by placing funds even at 0.5%, a Swiss citizen will make a profit. While for a non-resident of the country, this would be an unprofitable account.

Swiss banks

The banking system in this country includes more than 300 companies. There are more than 20 major banks. One of these is Credit Suisse, whose assets are about 998 billion francs.

An example of another major financial institution is Coop Bank. The organization has been operating since 1927. It has about 15 billion CHF in its assets. Julius Baer Group with a capital of 170 billion. Pictet and Cie, under management of which 400 billion. Also worth noting is UBS with assets of more than 1 billion.

There are also smaller private companies. These companies include:

Gutzwiller and Cie;
Hottinger and Company;
La Roche and Co;
Ranh and Bodmer;
Godnet and Cie;
Mirabound and Cie.

How investors earn

As it has already become known that the standard deposit account is used only for the purpose of saving money. But that doesn't mean you can't make money from the Swiss banking system.

Profit is achieved through investment management. Such a scheme implies a certain degree of risk. The client transfers funds under the competent management of banking specialists.

Those carry out investment or speculative activities. Profitability of such accounts can reach 30% per year. But also, the account can have a negative trend. At the same time, the depositor is not insured against the loss of the entire amount placed on the account.

A non-resident can also open a deposit for investment. You need to invest an amount of at least 300,000 francs. The activities of specialists will be completely transparent, and you can receive information about the status of your account by calling your personal manager or through Personal Area banking company.

The main income on deposits in Swiss banks is achieved through investment under trust management

Opening a deposit in Russia

To open an account in a foreign currency, it is not necessary to apply to Swiss banks. There are alternative options with higher returns on deposits and minimal risks. In Russian banks, deposit offers exceed 2% per annum, which is 1.5% more than alternative options directly in Switzerland itself.

At the moment, you can invest money at 2.8% in Promsvyazbank. 2.5% offer Binbank and SMP Bank, Unicredit. 2.4% in Rosselkhozbank, 2.3% in Alfa Bank and Rosevrobank. To open an account, you do not need to travel abroad or collect a full package of documents to confirm earnings.

Thus, everyone decides for himself how to manage his in cash. Investors usually have a diversified package. Part of the money is used as deposits with minimal risk. This part can be directed to opening an account in Swiss or other European, American or Asian banks.

Part of the money is directed to more risky projects, where, in turn, high profit margins are expected. In this case, it is recommended to consider the option of trust management of investment accounts in foreign banks. In this regard, the Swiss system is the most suitable. Do not forget that you should store savings in different currencies.