8 out of 16 providers require you to close your account if you leave Switzerland. Some with a short notice period, some with no real alternative. We asked each one individually.
When you leave Switzerland, you think about your tenancy agreement, moving van and farewell dinner. Most people only think about their pension fund and bank account when it's almost too late. And then things get hectic.
So we contacted 16 providers individually. CEOs, partner managers, support teams. The question was always the same: «What exactly happens to an existing account when a customer leaves Switzerland?»
We have received the answers in writing. Some were pleasing. Some were surprising. And one provider is actively working on a solution so that you no longer have to liquidate your securities in future.
Here is the complete overview.
Individual e-mail enquiries to all providers with a standardised questionnaire. Three scenarios: EU/EFTA, stable non-EU, exotic countries.
March to April 2026
13 out of 16 providers
Original e-mail quotes, FAQ screenshots, GTC check
EU/EFTA, stable non-EU, exotic countries
We have analysed every provider from our three major comparisons (Bank comparison, Broker comparison, Robo-Advisor comparison) contacted individually. No guesswork, no interpretation of terms and conditions. Direct answers.
| Provider | Type | Status | Suitable for whom | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swissquote | Broker | ✅ Remains | Expats with a custody account | Broad list of countries, explicit expat offer |
| IBKR | Broker | ✅ Remains | Advanced, frequent traders | Broad international base |
| Yuh | Bank | ✅ Retention possible | Existing customers CH/AT/LI/DE/FR/IT | Onboarding currently only CH/AT/LI |
| PostFinance | Bank | ✅ Remains | CH payment account required | CHF 25/month, generally open to Swiss nationals living abroad |
| Saxo Bank | Broker | ⚠️ Conditional | Countries with Saxo branch | Entity change necessary, securities transferable |
| True Wealth | Robo | ⚠️ Conditional | Departure DE/FR (broader EU via Saxo) | Custodian bank decisive |
| will be | Robo | ⚠️ Conditional | CH, LI, AT, DE only | Four countries, no more |
| Descartes | Robo | ⚠️ Conditional | Investment from CHF 200k | Under 200k: close. Above 200k: continue via UBS |
| Neon | Bank | ❌ Close | – | CH residence mandatory |
| Zak | Bank | ❌ Close | – | CH residence mandatory |
| Revolut | Bank | ❌ Close | – | Open a new account in the destination country |
| Alpian | Bank | ❌ Close | – | CH residence permit compulsory |
| finpension | Robo | ❌ Close | – | Solution in progress |
| VIAC | Robo | ❌ Close | – | No balancing fees |
| findependent | Robo | ❌ Close | – | CH residence + CH tax liability |
| Selma | Robo | ❌ Close | – | Also EU = No |
📊 The results of the Swiss-French Emigration Checks 2026 are under CC BY 4.0. Use permitted with reference to «Schwiizerfranke.com» and linking.
Short: 4 providers also operate abroad, 4 under conditions, 8 demand closure. The pattern is clear: brokers are international and open. Neobanks and robots are built for the Swiss market and exclude you.
If you are unsure: Secure a custody account with Swissquote or IBKR before you move. This solves most custody account problems. You can find the right provider in the Broker comparison.
Your key to success! Discover our top recommendations from real testimonials.
Yuh accepts customers resident in Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, Germany, France and Italy. Important: Onboarding for customers outside Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein is suspended at the time of writing. Existing customers can continue to use their account if they move to one of these six countries and update their address directly in the app. Further steps may be necessary if you change your tax domicile.
Neon and Zak are clear no-cases. Without residence in Switzerland, the relationship is terminated. Full stop. This is not a disadvantage of the products. They are simply not designed for the Swiss abroad.
«Without permanent residence in Switzerland, the banking relationship including the account and custody account must be closed via balancing. Zak can only be used by Swiss residents.»
Andreas Rageth, Zak/Farner, April 2026
Revolut has its own approach: you close your Swiss account and open a new one in your destination country. The good news is that you can continue to use your account during a temporary stay. Not if you are moving permanently.
Alpian demands closure, no matter where you go. Dino Sabic from Alpian wrote to us: "The loss of the Swiss residence permit means the end of the account relationship. This applies equally to the EU, USA and Thailand.
PostFinance is one of the most pragmatic solutions for the Swiss abroad. CHF 25 per month sounds like a lot. But if you need a current AHV pension, a vested benefits account or simply a Swiss payment account, PostFinance is an uncomplicated choice. Generally open to the Swiss abroad, no minimum balance required.
If you use a robo-advisor, you usually have a problem if you move away. Most of them exclude you. But three providers have interesting exceptions.
True Wealth: The only robo with real room for manoeuvre
True Wealth is the only Swiss robo-advisor that really tries to solve the problem. While almost all providers exclude you when you move away, True Wealth says: «It depends where you go.» That's a huge difference.
Edgar Herren from True Wealth gave us a detailed answer. The short version: It depends on the custodian bank.
True Wealth works with two custodian banks: BLKB and Saxo Bank (Switzerland). If you are moving to Germany or France, both will work. For other EU countries (Spain, Austria, Luxembourg, etc.), you need the Saxo custodian bank, which has a broader cross-border list.
Important: Only continuation for existing customers. It is not possible to open a new account from abroad. And: True Wealth does not use SMS as 2FA. Email or Authenticator work, which solves the problem with the cancelled Swiss number (more on this below).
→ Want to know what else True Wealth can do and costs? True Wealth experience report
Descartes Finance: The CHF 200,000 threshold
Adriano Lucatelli from Descartes has given us an answer that you won't find anywhere else.
Digital Invest clients under CHF 200,000 will be closed within one month. From CHF 200,000, the mandate can be continued with UBS as a non-digital client, provided the target country is not exotic (USA and Canada excluded).
And the really surprising part: According to Descartes, 3a and vested benefits custody accounts continue to run when you move away because the foundation maintains the formal relationship. Even if you move to the USA. This is an important difference to the digital invest mandate and is unique among Swiss providers.
finpension Invest: Not yet, but soon?
Currently, the custody account must be cancelled when you move away. But finpension has written to us:
«We are working hard on a solution so that you don't have to liquidate your securities when you move abroad.»
finpension FAQ, status April 2026
This is not yet available at the time of writing. But it shows: The market is moving. As soon as finpension has a solution, we will update this article.
→ Our detailed finpension experience report
VIAC, findependent, Selma: Clear no
VIAC Invest: «If you, as an existing VIAC Invest customer, move your domicile abroad, you are obliged to inform us of the change of address and to cancel your VIAC Invest.» After all: No balancing fees.
findependent: Swiss residence and exclusive tax liability in Switzerland are mandatory. No room for manoeuvre.
Selma: «Unfortunately, we cannot offer asset management for clients abroad due to regulatory requirements. This also applies to all EU countries.» The «also for the EU» is surprising, as other robos differentiate here.
willbe (LLB): Limited open
willbe accepts customers domiciled in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria or Germany. No problem for these four countries. For everything else: No more.
→ Still unsure which robo-advisor is right for you? Robo-Advisor comparison Switzerland
Brokers are positioned internationally. You can see that.
Swissquote is the provider with the broadest expat offering in our research. Dedicated expat page, clear process: «Simply open an account from your country of residence and keep the same account every time you move.» The accepted country list is visible in the sign-up process and includes many countries worldwide.
This also applies to Swissquote Invest Easy (Swissquote's robo service). Same policy, same country list.
Interactive Brokers (IBKR) has a broad international base and is much more flexible than traditional Swiss providers for many relocation situations. No change of entity necessary. Destination country and tax status should be checked on a case-by-case basis, but in practice IBKR works without any problems in most countries.
Saxo Bank works, but with a catch: you have to close your account with the Swiss entity and open a new one with the Saxo entity in your destination country. Securities can be transferred in most cases. Not cash, which must be paid out to your external bank account and then transferred again. And: WealthCare (the managed portfolio) cannot be transferred between entities.
Cornèrtrader, Degiro, finanzen.net zero: No clear information received despite enquiry. At Cornèrtrader the recommendation: «Contact us.» At Degiro, a change of address is technically possible, whether a change of entity CH→EU is necessary remained open.
→ You now know which brokers will keep you. Which one is best for you depends on fees and offer. Online broker comparison Switzerland
"Intelligent people learn from the mistakes of others".
We have compiled our top selection for you from all our tests and experience reports:
You can't have your pension fund paid out just because you're leaving. It depends on where you go.
1. moving to the EU/EFTA? → Non-mandatory portion only. Mandatory portion remains in vested benefits account.
2. moving outside the EU/EFTA? → Full payout possible (PF + FC).
3. special case of self-employment? → Also check full payment for EU/EFTA (if no social security obligation in the new country).
The Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons applies here. The Non-mandatory part of your pension fund can be paid out. The Compulsory part remains blocked in a vested benefits account in Switzerland.
Exception: You are not subject to social security contributions in the new country. This is rare, for example if you are self-employed and not subject to social security contributions. In this case, full payment is possible.
Calculation example EU: You have CHF 120,000 in the pension fund. CHF 45,000 of this is extra-mandatory. You move to Germany. You receive the CHF 45,000. The remaining CHF 75,000 goes into a vested benefits account and stays there until you retire.
Calculation example non-EU: Same starting position, CHF 120,000, you move to Thailand. In principle, you can withdraw the entire vested benefit. After deduction of withholding tax, the amount is paid out.
Special case Liechtenstein: Despite EFTA membership, particularly strict rules apply. The mandatory portion cannot be withdrawn in cash if you move to Liechtenstein.
Descartes special case: According to Descartes Finance, 3a and vested benefits custody accounts continue to run when you move away because the foundation maintains the formal relationship. According to Adriano Lucatelli, this also applies if you move to the USA. This is an important difference to the digital investment mandate.
You can withdraw your pillar 3a when you finally deregister from Switzerland. However, you do not necessarily have to do this immediately; you can also leave the assets and withdraw them later. This is one of the few reasons for early withdrawal.
But: The order counts. First deregister, then withdraw. As a rule, pension withdrawals are taxed at source in Switzerland after deregistration. The decisive factor is the Canton of the foundation, not your last canton of residence.
Canton Schwyz is known for its low withholding tax on pension fund withdrawals. But beware: some foundations based in tax-favourable cantons charge high fees for outgoing payments. The net advantage must always be offset.
If you have several 3a pots: A staggered withdrawal over several tax years can be interesting. However, this depends on the timing, the foundation and your new country of residence. Discuss this with a tax advisor.
| Provider | What happens when you move away | Info |
|---|---|---|
| frankly | Cannot be continued. Transfer to ZKB possible. | frankly info page |
| finpension 3a | Cannot be continued | finpension Guide |
| VIAC 3a | Cannot be continued | VIAC FAQ |
| True Wealth 3a | Cannot be continued (despite continuing to run with Invest) | True Wealth FAQ |
| Descartes 3a/FZ | Continues to run according to provider | Foundation maintains formal relationship |
Important: «Cannot be continued» does not automatically mean that you have to withdraw your pillar 3a immediately. In many cases, you can leave the assets until you retire or transfer them to another 3a pension foundation. Which solution makes sense depends on the provider, target country and tax situation.
→ Detailed comparison of all 3a providers: Pillar 3a comparison
«If someone had told me this 10 years ago, I would have paid in every year.» That's what a reader from Thailand wrote to us. And she's not alone. Voluntary OASI is one of the most overlooked aspects of emigration.
Who may: Any Swiss citizen who has been subject to AHV contributions for at least 5 years.
Where to register: Compensation Fund for Swiss Abroad in Geneva. Join within 12 months of deregistration, otherwise the right expires.
What it costs: Depending on income. You can find the current minimum contribution on the Website of the Compensation Office (ZAS). This allows you to avoid or reduce contribution gaps. Each missing year of contributions can reduce your future AHV pension by around 1/44.
Is it worth it? If you move to an EU/EFTA country, this is usually less relevant because there are social security agreements. You pay into the social insurance scheme in the new country and the contribution years are added together.
If you move outside the EU/EFTA (Thailand, Dubai, South East Asia, Latin America), the situation is different. Without voluntary OASI contributions, you will miss out on years of contributions and your pension will be reduced.
My assessment: Anyone moving to a country without a social security agreement should at least look into voluntary OASI. The minimum contribution can be particularly attractive if you have a low contributory income. Whether it is worthwhile in your situation depends on contribution gaps, income and pension entitlement.
Whether you're going or coming back: AHV contribution gaps, pension fund buy-ins and the 3a strategy are precisely the topics that will be discussed in the FinanzFahrplan (in german) be treated step by step.
You can find out when the next course starts on the waiting list. → Add to the waiting list
"Intelligent people learn from the mistakes of others".
We have compiled our top selection for you from all our tests and experience reports:
The most common error does not happen with taxes. But when logging in.
You cancel your Swiss SIM. Three weeks later, you want to log in. The SMS code doesn't arrive. Account blocked.
It happens more often than you think. And the solution is simple if you tackle it BEFORE you move.
What our research has revealed:
Pro tip: A Swiss prepaid SIM costs almost nothing and solves 90% of all 2FA problems. Activate it before you go. Top up with CHF 10 every 6 months. That's it.
The fact that you cannot open an account as a new customer does not automatically mean that your existing account will be closed. And vice versa.
Three examples from our research:
Always ask your provider explicitly: «What will happen to my existing Account?» Not: «Can I open an account?» These are two different questions with often different answers.
Anyone who moves and does not report the change of address risks having their account blocked. Banks and brokers are legally obliged to keep up-to-date customer data (Know Your Customer). If they realise through other channels (e.g. returned post) that your address is no longer correct, they will block the account until clarification.
In short: always report proactively. Don't wait until the bank notices.
From your first thoughts about moving to your first day abroad: we have put together a compact checklist that covers all the financial steps. Pension provision, accounts, 2FA, change of address, all on two pages, to print out and tick off.
The complete financial checklist for your move out of Switzerland: 12 months to day 1, incl. short pension rules and 2FA tips.
"Intelligent people learn from the mistakes of others".
We have compiled our top selection for you from all our tests and experience reports:
Most problems don't arise abroad. It's because you don't prepare.
If I were to emigrate tomorrow, I would deliberately radically simplify my setup. Three Swiss financial relationships, no more:
1. Swissquote as a depot. In our research, the provider with the broadest expat offering. My custody account stays, my ETFs stay, my access stays.
2 PostFinance as a payment account. CHF 25 per month is annoying. But it's a straightforward Swiss account for Swiss abroad with no minimum balance. If you still receive AHV pensions, vested benefits or other payments in Switzerland, you need this.
3. True Wealth as a robo-advisor, if Germany or France. The only Swiss robo with real scope. And with Authenticator instead of SMS as 2FA, which solves the problem with the Swiss number.
Everything else, Neon, Zak, finpension, VIAC, I would dispose of cleanly before the move. Not because the products are bad. But because they are built for the Swiss market. Full stop.
This article will be updated regularly. finpension is working on a solution for foreign customers. Saxo adapts the country lists. True Wealth is expanding via the custodian banks. As soon as something changes, you will be informed here and in the Wealth Letter.
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Do you know anyone who is leaving Switzerland? Send him this article. The provider table saves hours of research. And he should also check our Broker comparison look, that also saves money.
No investment advice. Own research remains mandatory.
Of 16 providers tested, you can continue to use 4, 4 under conditions, 8 require closure. Swissquote, PostFinance and Yuh also work abroad (sometimes with fees or country restrictions). Neon, Zak, Revolut and Alpian require closure.
If you move to the EU/EFTA: Only the non-mandatory portion. The rest remains in a vested benefits account. If you move outside the EU/EFTA: Full payout possible. Withholding tax is due in both cases, according to the canton of the foundation, not according to your last canton of residence.
You can have it paid out as soon as you have deregistered in Switzerland. However, you don't have to withdraw immediately; it is also possible to leave it. First deregister, then withdraw. As a rule, pension withdrawals are taxed at source after deregistration. The canton of the foundation decides on the amount. Canton Schwyz is favourable, but check the foundation's payment fees.
Yes, if you have been subject to AHV for at least 5 years. Register with the compensation office for Swiss nationals abroad in Geneva within 12 months of deregistration. Usually less relevant if moving to EU/EFTA countries, as social security agreements add up the contribution years.
In our research, Swissquote has the broadest expat offering with clear country support. Interactive Brokers has a broad international base and is more flexible than traditional Swiss providers in many relocation situations. Saxo Bank enables a change of entity, securities are transferable, cash must be paid out. All three in detail: Broker comparison Switzerland
No. Banks and brokers are legally obliged to keep up-to-date customer data (Know Your Customer). Anyone who fails to report a change of address risks having their account blocked. In the worst case, the business relationship will be terminated due to a KYC offence. Always report proactively before the bank notices it itself via postal returns or other means.
Swissquote can also be used as a salary/payment account abroad. The IBAN for the custody account is the same as that of a standard bank account, such as with PostFinance. So, for me, it’s the best all-in-one solution for Swiss nationals living abroad. I had to close my Yuh account, but I’m very happy with Swissquote. No extra costs. I only pay CHF 6.90 per month for the debit card.
Hi Eric
I would like to thank you very much for your very informative article „Leaving Switzerland?“.
The article was extremely valuable, especially for my current situation with possible residence and asset issues between Switzerland and Brazil. I found the information on banks, brokers, pension assets and the practical challenges of moving away from Switzerland particularly helpful.
The article has helped me to take a more differentiated and realistic view of certain topics.
Many thanks for your transparent and practical presentation.
Kind regards
Thomas Güntensperger
That makes me very happy and it's great to hear from you, Thomas!
Best regards 🙂
Eric