Services
Menu

How to open a corporate account in a Swiss bank in 2023

Non-resident legal entities can open a corporate account with a Swiss bank in 2023, regardless of nationality. To do so, it's recommended to have an office in the country, although it is not mandatory. Some banks open an account remotely, but in this case, the deposit should be higher if compared with traditional account registration.

Features of opening a corporate account in Switzerland

A bank account in Switzerland must be opened before the company's final registration with the Chamber of Commerce. During the process, the company must provide statutory documents and a bank statement that will specify the amount of registered capital. The account itself must be linked to financial transactions to be conducted in Switzerland.

Companies that open an account in the country are divided into two types:

  • Passive - fully owned by foreigners. They have no office in Switzerland and no local employees. Small banks do not cooperate with such companies as they cannot check them thoroughly.
  • Active - a business owned by residents. They can also be foreign companies that have an office and local staff in Switzerland. In this case, the problem with opening an account usually does not arise. Even small banks eagerly cooperate with such companies.

Swiss banks are loyal to foreign clients but check them very carefully. Therefore the names of owners, shareholders, and other officials mustn't be connected with fraud, money laundering, and other crimes.

Clients should be attentive to financial documentation, describing all transactions carefully. If the Money Laundering Reporting Service suspects a company in illegal activity and files information about the customer with the prosecutor's office, the bank may block the account without warning.

Documents for opening an account in Switzerland

Each bank has its requirements for opening a corporate account. In most cases, the following information is needed:

  • сopies of the passports of the shareholders and the company's representative;
  • data on the beneficiaries;
  • company documents;
  • company registration information;
  • telephone numbers of the contact persons;
  • information about the company's work, the sphere of its activities, business plan, and plans for growth and expansion;
  • proof of legality of money;
  • information about the type of account, services, and intentions to use them.

If you plan to open a corporate account for the existing company, you need the statutory documents, as well as a certificate from the registry of the country where it is registered. For remote bank account opening, the person opening the account needs to have a power of attorney.

How long does it take to open a corporate account

Bank opens an account within 7-30 days after submitting all the documents and having an interview with the banker. It is vital to submit all documents correctly, otherwise, the procedure can last for many months. So it is recommended to contact the representatives of our company and get professional assistance.

Where to open an account in Switzerland

When opening a Swiss bank account, going to a large institution is better, especially if you do not work in the country. Among the best banks we recommend opening an account at:

  • Kaleido Privatbank (formerly AP Anlage & Privatbank);
  • BNP Paribas (Suisse) SA;
  • C.I.M Bank.

These institutions are eager to cooperate with foreigners and offer state-of-the-art banking that operates around the clock.

How to open a Swiss bank account

To open a corporate account in Switzerland in 2023, contact IT-OFFSHORE experts.

To improve your experience on our website, we would like to use cookies. This means that we collect some information about your activity while you are on the website.