The account fee is visible. The expensive costs are often hidden in the exchange rate

Custody fees

Traditional bank custody can cost a percentage of assets every year. The source’s example uses 0.35% as a representative large-bank custody level: CHF 3,500 annually on CHF 1 million before trading and product costs. Swiss online brokers can be dramatically cheaper.

If this decision changes the viability or sequence of your move, a Swiss relocation strategy consultation can apply it to your own facts.

Non-resident surcharges

Before you become Swiss resident, some banks charge foreign-domicile fees or do not accept the relationship. The source material cites examples around CHF 25–30 per month at some institutions for foreign residents. Once your domicile genuinely moves to Switzerland, that specific surcharge basis can disappear.

For the surrounding context, see opening a Swiss bank account.

Deposit protection

Eligible deposits are protected up to CHF 100,000 per client per bank. That is a reason to distinguish operational cash from investments and to avoid leaving very large unneeded cash balances at one institution.

CHF 100,000 is a Swiss number and every country sets its own. FreedomBanking compares what deposit guarantees are actually worth country by country.

Four cost rules

• compare FX before account fees;
• separate banking from investing when the bank’s custody price is percentage-based;
• keep large idle cash balances diversified;
• re-check price lists every year, because Swiss providers change packages frequently.

A cheap bank can be expensive if it handles your biggest transaction badly.

For the surrounding context, see choosing a Swiss bank.

Fintech licence is not the same as bank licence

Do not put the words “Swiss regulated” into one bucket. A provider operating under a fintech authorisation can have a different legal treatment for client cash from a fully licensed bank. Check exactly which entity holds your money and which deposit-protection regime applies.

Separate the four price lists

For a wealthy client, calculate banking in four columns: account package, payments/cards, FX, investments. A bank can be excellent in one and uncompetitive in another. There is no need to buy custody simply because the current account is convenient.

Ask for the spread on CHF 100,000 and CHF 1 million conversions. Ask for custody on CHF 1 million and CHF 5 million. Ask about securities-transfer fees, incoming securities, corporate actions and tax statements. The published base fee is rarely the whole story.

Deposit protection is a backstop, not a cash-management strategy. Even where eligible deposits fall within the CHF 100,000 protection, payout is not the same as instant liquidity. Keep operating cash available across institutions if a temporary freeze would disrupt your life.