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Do you have a securities account and need short-term liquidity - without selling your investments? With a Lombard loan, you can lend your securities and get immediate access to money.
One thing is clear: a loan always costs money. But in certain situations, a Lombard loan is significantly cheaper than the alternative - for example, liquidating your securities account with transaction costs and potentially lost returns, or taking out a personal loan at 5-7%.
Lombard loan interest rates vary greatly depending on the provider - from 1% (Saxo Bank VIP) to 3.0% (Swissquote, Migros Bank) in CHF. In our comparison you will find the current interest rates, conditions and tax advantages of all relevant Lombard loan providers in Switzerland.
| Saxo Bank | BLKB | Swissquote | Interactive Brokers | Migros Bank | UBS | Raiffeisen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| CHF interest rate | 2.0% (Classic) / 1.5% (Platinum) / 1.0% (VIP) | 1,45% (published, as at April 2026) | 3.0% | 1.45% (IBKR Pro, at CHF 100,000; graduated according to volume) | 3.0% + 0.25% Commission/quarter (according to product information sheet) | On request | On request (varies per shop) |
| Minimum amount | None | CHF 50,000 | None | None | CHF 25'000 | CHF 100,000 | Variable (per shop) |
| Credit type | Current account | Current account | Current account | Current account (automatic, margin account) | Current account | Current account + fixed advance | Current account |
| Online application | ✓ Completely digital | ✗ Branch | ✓ Digital (depending on the setup, additional documents may be required) | ✓ Automatic (activated in the account) | ✗ Branch | ✗ Branch | ✗ Branch |
| CH deposit insurance (esisuisse) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ (no CH depositor protection) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Special advantages | - Swiss Bank - No minimum amount - Credit in several currencies - Transparent tiered interest rates - Fully digital application - Interest only on utilised amount | - Lowest published interest rate - State guarantee BL (cantonal) | - Swiss Bank - Wide range of products - Multi-currency accounts | - Very low interest rate - Multi-currency loans - Professional platform | - Swiss Bank - Local branches | - Fixed advance possible - On-site counselling - Big bank security | - Local counselling - Flexible per shop |
| Disadvantages | - No fixed advance - purely digital (no branches) | - From CHF 50,000 - Only per shop - Smaller trading offer | - Relatively high interest rate (3.0%) - Depending on the setup, additional documents may be required | - No CH depositor protection - Not CH-regulated - Complex platform - Margin account = leverage risk | - Relatively high interest rate (3.0%) - Only per shop | - Interest rate only on request - From CHF 100,000 - Only per shop | - Interest rate only on request - Different for each shop - No centralised offer |
| Valuation |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Learn more about Saxo | Visit BLKB | Learn more about Swissquote | Learn more about IBKR | Visit MB | Learn more about UBS | Visit RF |
As at: April 2026 Interest rates are variable and can change at any time. IBKR interest rates apply to IBKR Pro (the only plan available in Switzerland), graduated according to credit volume (benchmark + spread). Private banks such as Lombard Odier or Julius Baer also offer Lombard loans - conditions are negotiated individually. esisuisse protects account balances (cash) up to CHF 100,000 per customer and bank; securities are generally separated as special assets and are not part of the bankruptcy estate of the institution.
Short version: Do you want it simple? → Saxo for the digital Lombard loan with no minimum amount - with VIP even the lowest interest rate in comparison.
Do you prefer a cantonal bank with a state guarantee? → BLKB, from CHF 50,000, via branch. Do you already have an IBKR account? → Comparably low interest rates, but without a CH banking licence.
Saxo Bank convinces us as an overall package: completely digital application, no minimum amount, transparent conditions according to account model - and with the VIP level even the lowest interest rate in the entire comparison. If you have a custody account from CHF 50,000 and prefer a Swiss cantonal bank with a state guarantee, BLKB offers the lowest published rate among the banks. Interactive Brokers is on a par in terms of price - but requires a margin account and the waiver of a Swiss banking licence (details in the IBKR section below).
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With 2.0% in the Classic model, Saxo Bank offers one of the most favourable Lombard loans among online brokers in Switzerland - with no minimum amount. Those with a larger custody account benefit even more:
You can find the exact requirements for each level in our Saxo Bank Switzerland Review. The classic rate of 2.0% applies to most of them. Interest is only charged on the amount actually utilised - and the loan can be repaid at any time without a fixed term.
What we noticed positively in our research: Saxo publishes the Lombard loan interest rates transparently according to account model. This is not a matter of course in the Swiss market, as our comparison shows. Many banks simply reply «on request» when asked about the interest rate.
For the detailed test report: Saxo Bank Switzerland Experience
Surprise in our research: Basellandschaftliche Kantonalbank (BLKB) is one of the few traditional banks that publishes its Lombard loan interest rates openly on its website - and at 1.45% in CHF, it offers the lowest published interest rate of the Swiss banks included in this comparison. Interactive Brokers offers a comparable rate (also ~1.45%), but without a Swiss banking licence and only with a margin account - more on this below. Only Saxo's VIP model is more favourable (1.0%, from CHF 1,000,000 deposit value).
In addition, there is no credit commission and no account management fees. As a cantonal bank with a state guarantee from the canton of Basel-Landschaft, security is high. You may also know BLKB as one of the custodian banks of True Wealth.
The catch: you need a minimum amount of CHF 50,000 (or the equivalent in foreign currency), and the application goes through the branch - not a purely online process. However, BLKB is a real alternative to online brokers for investors with a larger custody account who prefer a Swiss bank with a state guarantee.
The Lombard loan interest rate is only part of the equation. What many people overlook: The deposit fees at a traditional bank can quickly eat up the interest rate advantage. An example:
Assumption: CHF 250,000 custody account (world ETFs), CHF 100,000 Lombard loan for 12 months. Custody account fees and fee models vary depending on the provider and setup - the figures are intended as a guide, not a guarantee. Check the current conditions directly with the provider.
| Saxo (Platinum) | BLKB (Solo) | IBKR Pro | Swissquote |
Custody fees p.a. | CHF 0 | ~CHF 675 | CHF 0 | ~CHF 200 (depending on custody account model) |
Lombard loan interest | CHF 1’500 | CHF 1’450 | CHF 1’450 | CHF 3’000 |
Total costs approx. | CHF 1’500 | ~CHF 2’125 | CHF 1’450 | ~CHF 3’200 |
Although BLKB offers the lowest lombard loan interest rate among Swiss banks, the custody account fees (basic fee + foreign surcharge for ETFs) cancel out the advantage. In this example, Saxo Platinum costs around CHF 625 less per year than BLKB - with zero custody account fees. IBKR is even cheaper, but requires a margin account.
You can find a complete overview of the custody account costs of all providers in our Online broker comparison Switzerland.
The Lombard loan from Swissquote is not the cheapest provider in our comparison (see table above). In return, you get the largest Swiss online trading platform with the trust factor of a listed Swiss bank.
Swissquote keeps it simple: a standardised interest rate, no levels depending on the size of the deposit. The Lombard loan has no minimum amount. The application is made digitally via desktop or app - depending on the setup, additional documents may be required.
For the detailed test report: Swissquote experience Switzerland
Interactive Brokers offers one of the lowest interest rates in this comparison at around 1.45% in CHF (for a loan volume of CHF 100,000) - on a par with BLKB. The interest rates are staggered according to volume (benchmark + spread): Those who borrow more tend to pay less. You can find the current rates on the IBKR Margin Rates Page.
Important to know: IBKR Lite is not available in Switzerland (Lite is a US-only product). Swiss customers use IBKR Pro - at no extra charge.
The catch: You need a margin account (not a cash account) to use the Lombard loan. The margin account allows leverage on your entire custody account - a risk that you must actively manage. In contrast to a classic Lombard loan from a Swiss bank, where you consciously conclude a separate loan agreement, the credit line with IBKR is automatically available and can be used unintentionally.
Other disadvantages compared to Swiss providers: Swiss customers are serviced via Interactive Brokers UK (jurisdiction London). There is no Depositor protection via esisuisse. The platform is powerful but complex - if you've never worked with IBKR before, you shouldn't get started because of the Lombard loan. And: the interest rates are constantly changing with the benchmark - check them regularly on the IBKR page.
Conclusion IBKR: If you already have an IBKR account with margin and are familiar with the platform, you will get the most favourable Lombard loan interest rate here. For everyone else, the effort and complexity risk is too high - you're probably better off with Saxo or BLKB.
For the detailed test report: Interactive Brokers Experience Switzerland
The picture is different for traditional banks than for online brokers. The keyword: «on request».
UBS offers Lombard loans primarily for private banking customers. The minimum amount for a fixed advance is CHF 100,000, for which you get access to 13 different currencies - from CHF, USD and EUR to more exotic currencies such as SGD or HKD. You will only find out the specific interest rate in a personal consultation.
Migros Bank offers the Lombard loan at the conditions listed in the table (interest rate plus credit commission per quarter, details according to migrosbank.ch). An uncomplicated option for existing Migros Bank customers with a custody account, with prices on a par with Swissquote.
Raiffeisen refers to the local co-operative: «Contact your Raiffeisenbank for an overview of interest rates.» This means: There is no centrally published interest rate - you must contact your Raiffeisenbank directly.
Basler Kantonalbank (BKB) offers both current account and fixed advances; a maximum utilisation of 75% of the loan value applies to fixed advances. Interest rates and minimum amounts on request.
Other cantonal banks such as Glarner KB, Schwyzer KB, Zuger KB and Appenzeller KB also offer Lombard loans. Published interest rates? Not at all.
Feedback from our Schwiizerfranke community shows: Most readers favour online brokers because of their transparent conditions. You can find a complete overview in our Online broker comparison Switzerland. With traditional banks, it often takes a consultation before you are even given an interest rate.
"Intelligent people learn from the mistakes of others".
We have compiled our top selection for you from all our tests and experience reports:
A Lombard loan is a loan that you receive in return for pledging your securities. Your shares, ETFs, investment funds or bonds serve as collateral - you retain ownership and continue to receive dividends, but the securities are «blocked» as collateral. In return, you receive a credit line and have immediate access to liquidity.
Other names for the same product: Securities loan, Securities loan or Securities collateralised loan. It always means the same thing.
Where does the name come from? The term «Lombard» dates back to the Middle Ages. Italian merchants from Lombardy were the first to offer loans against collateral, laying the foundations for today's lending business. Incidentally, the private bank Lombard Odier makes it clear on its website that its name has nothing to do with the Lombard loan.
There are two variants of the Lombard loan:
Current account means: You have a credit limit and only pay interest on the amount actually used. If you need CHF 30,000 of your CHF 100,000 limit, you only pay interest on CHF 30,000. This is the standard variant at Saxo, Swissquote, BLKB and Interactive Brokers.
Fixed advance means: fixed amount, fixed term, fixed interest rate. You get a certain amount paid out and pay it back at the end of the term. UBS and BKB offer both variants. Also DEGIRO works with a fixed advance model - interest accrues on the entire allocated amount, even if you only use part of it. This is not very attractive for Swiss investors, which is why we have not included DEGIRO in our comparison.
| Lombard loan | Personal loan | Mortgage |
Security | Securities | None (or salary) | Real estate |
Typical interest rates | 1-3% | 4.5-7% | approx. 0.8-1.7% |
Purpose | Free | Free | Purchase of real estate |
Margin Call | Yes | No | No |
Runtime | Flexible | Fix | Fixed (with renewal) |
The Lombard loan is therefore generally more favourable than a personal loan, but not necessarily more favourable than a mortgage - the interest rate depends heavily on the model. With a SARON mortgage (SARON = Swiss Average Rate Overnight, the Swiss reference interest rate) the interest rate is variable, with a fixed-rate mortgage it is fixed. The big difference: with a Lombard loan, there is a margin call risk: if the value of your securities falls below a certain limit, you have to provide additional collateral or the bank sells your positions. You can find out what this means in concrete terms and how you can protect yourself in the «Risks and disadvantages» section below.
The principle is simple: you pledge your securities and the bank grants you a loan up to a certain percentage of the market value - the so-called Mortgage lending value.
Not every asset class is valued equally. The more stable and liquid the security, the higher the loan-to-value ratio:
Asset class | Typical loan-to-value ratio |
Swiss Confederation bonds | 90-95% |
Investment grade bonds | 70-85% |
Broadly diversified ETFs (e.g. MSCI World) | 50-70% |
Blue chip shares (SMI, S&P 500) | 40-60% |
Individual shares (small/mid cap) | 20-40% |
Cryptocurrencies | 0% (not accepted by most traditional CH banks/brokers) |
The loan-to-value ratios vary depending on the provider and are adjusted regularly. The table shows typical reference values.
In concrete terms, this means that if you have a custody account with CHF 500,000 in broadly diversified ETFs and a loan-to-value ratio of 60%, your available credit limit is CHF 300,000. Of course, you don't have to use all of this - nor should you (see safety buffer below).
One of the most common scenarios: You have an ETF custody account of CHF 500,000 and want to buy a flat. You need CHF 100,000 of equity for this.
Variant A - Sell securities account:
You sell ETFs worth CHF 100,000. As a private individual, you do not pay tax on capital gains, but you lose the future tax-free return on this capital. In addition, there are transaction costs of around CHF 200-500, and the uninvested capital can cost you returns - with an expected annual return of 7%, that would be CHF 7,000 per year.
Variant B - Lombard loan:
Your custody account remains fully invested (CHF 500,000). With a loan-to-value ratio of 60%, you have CHF 300,000 available. You use CHF 100,000 as a Lombard loan.
The annual costs depend on the provider (see comparison table above). At an interest rate of 1.5%, for example, this would be CHF 1,500 per year on CHF 100,000. In addition, the interest on the debt is tax-deductible and the loan debt reduces your taxable assets.
Whether option B is worthwhile depends on how long you need the loan and how the markets develop. But the basic calculation shows: If you have a short-term liquidity requirement, a Lombard loan can be significantly cheaper than liquidating the deposit. Please note, however, that the bank that gives you the mortgage must agree to the Lombard loan as a source of equity.
"Intelligent people learn from the mistakes of others".
We have compiled our top selection for you from all our tests and experience reports:
A Lombard loan is not a product for everyone. It is a tool that can be useful in certain situations - and not in others. Here are the three most common use cases:
You need CHF 30,000-100,000 in the short term - for a car, a renovation, a tax arrears payment or another major purchase. Instead of liquidating your deposit at the worst possible time, you take out a Lombard loan and pay it back over the next few months. It's basically like a credit card for larger amounts - only much cheaper.
You have a large deposit and don't want to take the equity for your mortgage out of your investments. The Lombard loan serves as a bridge to keep you invested. Our calculation example above shows what this looks like in practice.
The reasoning behind this: A broadly diversified ETF portfolio has historically generated around 6-8% per year (before inflation, world ETF). A Lombard loan costs 1-2%. As long as the expected return on your portfolio is higher than the cost of the loan, it may be worth staying invested instead of selling. But beware: Expected return is not a guaranteed return - and in a crash you will still pay the Lombard loan. This scenario is therefore only suitable for investors who are aware of the risk and have a sufficient buffer.
You know that money is coming - but not yet. Typical situations: An inheritance is being settled, a bonus will be paid out in March, a property has been sold but the money is still with the notary, or you are changing your mortgage and need short-term bridging liquidity. In all these cases, you have a clear repayment date. This makes the Lombard loan particularly predictable: you know the term, you know the costs and there is no risk of a long loan term.
Important: Tax savings alone are not a reason to take out a Lombard loan. You pay 1-2% interest - the tax savings do not compensate for this. But if you use the Lombard loan anyway (scenario 1, 2 or 3), you benefit additionally: the interest on the debt reduces your taxable income and the loan debt reduces your taxable assets. Depending on the canton and the size of your custody account, this can amount to several hundred to thousand francs per year. More on this in the tax section below.
Just as important as the question «for whom?» is the question «for whom not?». The disadvantages and risks of a Lombard loan are often underestimated:
Our position on this is clear: a Lombard loan is not a savings hack and is not free money. Interest accrues from day one, and a margin call can force you to sell at the worst possible moment. We recommend Lombard loans exclusively as a liquidity and optimisation instrument - for people who know exactly what they are doing and have a clear repayment strategy. You can find a detailed list of all risks below in the «Risks and disadvantages» section.
The tax issue is one of the most underestimated aspects of the Lombard loan. And at the same time one of the most important reasons why it is worthwhile in certain situations.
Lombard loan interest is deductible as debt interest in the tax return. The limit is CHF 50,000 plus your investment income (Art. 33 para. 1 lit. a DBG). This is not a limiting factor for most Lombard loan users with larger deposits.
An example: You pay CHF 2,000 per year in Lombard loan interest. This amount reduces your taxable income by CHF 2,000. With a marginal tax rate of 30%, you save CHF 600 in taxes.
The Lombard loan debt is deducted from your taxable assets. If you take out a Lombard loan of CHF 100,000, you will have CHF 100,000 less taxable assets. With a cantonal wealth tax rate of 0.3% (typical for the canton of Zurich in this range), this means CHF 300 less wealth tax per year.
In combination with the debt interest deduction, the effective interest burden is therefore noticeably reduced.
On 28 September 2025, the Swiss electorate approved the abolition of the imputed rental value by 57.7% (source: Federal Chancellery). Entry into force is being discussed from 2028 at the earliest - the specific date depends on the implementing legislation.
The direction of the reform: mortgage interest on owner-occupied property should no longer be tax-deductible in future. In return, the imputed rental value will no longer be recognised as notional income.
This is relevant for Lombard loans: The reform provides for a general change in the system for private debt interest - not just for mortgages. According to the current status, Lombard loan interest could also be more limitedly deductible in future. A final judgement can only be made once the implementing provisions are available.
However, the implementing legislation has not yet been passed at the time of writing. The exact form is still pending and details may change. We will update this section as soon as the implementing legislation is available.
According to FTA Circular No. 36, debt financing (e.g. Lombard loan) can be an indication of professional securities trading. The tax authorities always assess this in the overall picture based on several criteria - such as transaction volume, holding period, use of borrowed capital and use of derivatives. If you use the Lombard loan moderately and invest for the long term, this risk is significantly reduced - but it cannot be ruled out. You can find out which patterns you should avoid in combination in our article Save taxes with shares.
"Intelligent people learn from the mistakes of others".
We have compiled our top selection for you from all our tests and experience reports:
A Lombard loan is not a risk-free product. There are three key risks that you need to understand before you take one out.
If you know the film «Margin Call» (2011): In it, panic breaks out overnight at an investment bank because the risk models show that the collateral is no longer sufficient. Spoiler: It doesn't end well. And if you're more Team DiCaprio - «Wolf of Wall Street» shows impressively what happens when you underestimate leverage and risk. By the way, you can find both films in our list of best financial films.
With your Lombard loan, a margin call is less dramatic than in the film - but still unpleasant. It occurs when the value of your pledged securities falls below the lending limit. Put simply, the bank has lent you money and taken your securities account as collateral. If your securities account falls too much, the collateral is no longer sufficient.
The good news is that with the right strategy, a margin call is historically very unlikely. How? The following calculation shows.
How big does a crash have to be for a margin call to be imminent? That depends on how much of your available limit you actually use:
| Conservative | Moderate | Risky |
Deposit value | CHF 500,000 | CHF 500,000 | CHF 500,000 |
Loan-to-value ratio (ETF) | 60% | 60% | 60% |
Available limits | CHF 300,000 | CHF 300,000 | CHF 300,000 |
Utilised credit | CHF 50,000 | CHF 100,000 | CHF 200,000 |
Effective loan-to-value ratio | 10% | 20% | 40% |
Margin call in the event of a price fall of | ~83% | ~67% | ~33% |
A margin call is triggered if your utilised loan exceeds the current loan-to-value ratio of your custody account - i.e. if custody account value × loan-to-value ratio < loan. Important: The bank can adjust the loan-to-value ratio at any time, even without a fall in the share price. The exact rules are set out in the contract and vary depending on the provider. In our example, we assume a constant loan-to-value ratio of 60% (typical for broadly diversified ETFs).
Calculation using the «Moderate» example: You use CHF 100,000 credit. A margin call is imminent if the securities account value × 60% is less than CHF 100,000 - i.e. if your securities account falls below CHF 166,667. This corresponds to a price drop of around 67%.
By way of comparison, the MSCI World fell by around 34% in the 2020 coronavirus crash. In the 2007-2009 financial crisis, the MSCI World lost around 54% from peak to trough - the largest drawdown in recent decades. The dotcom bubble (2000-2003) also resulted in a decline of around 47% (values rounded, MSCI World Net Total Return in USD; may vary slightly depending on index variant and currency). Even in these historically extreme situations, you would not have received a margin call with an effective leverage of 20% - your buffer would have been sufficient up to a decline of 67%.
Schwiizerfranke rule of thumb: Use a maximum of 20% of your custody account value as a Lombard loan. In our example: For a portfolio of CHF 500,000, this means a maximum of CHF 100,000 - this corresponds to the ’Moderate’ scenario in the table above. Your buffer then extends to a price decline of around 67% - more than in the major crises of recent decades. So you can sleep soundly even in crash phases.
Lombard loan interest rates are usually variable. If interest rates rise, your costs rise immediately. This cannot be hedged - unless you take out a fixed advance with a fixed interest rate (e.g. with UBS or BKB).
A rule of thumb for budget planning: calculate with an imputed interest rate of 5% - similar to the affordability calculation for mortgages. If you can afford the Lombard loan even at 5%, you are on the safe side.
Some use Lombard loans to buy even more ETFs with borrowed money - a so-called yield lever. This can work as long as the markets are rising. But it contradicts a passive, long-term investment strategy. Leverage works in both directions: If prices fall, you lose disproportionately, and a margin call can force you to sell.
Our position is clear: investing with borrowed money is speculation, not financial planning. You'll find voices on the net praising the Lombard loan as a «yield turbo» - often without sufficiently illuminating the risks. At Schwiizerfranke, we stand for passive, long-term investing without leverage. A Lombard loan is a liquidity instrument, not a yield tool.
"Intelligent people learn from the mistakes of others".
We have compiled our top selection for you from all our tests and experience reports:
A Lombard loan is not a panacea and not an instrument for speculation. But for investors with a larger portfolio who need short-term liquidity or want to optimise their tax situation, it can be significantly cheaper than the alternatives.
Our comparison shows: The differences between the providers are considerable (current interest rates in the comparison table above). Saxo Bank is convincing as an overall package with transparent interest rates, a fully digital application and no minimum amount. BLKB offers the lowest published rate among the Swiss banks in the comparison - plus a state guarantee. Interactive Brokers is on a par in terms of price, but requires a margin account and the waiver of a Swiss banking licence. Swissquote is priced higher than the online brokers, and with most traditional banks you will only find out the interest rate after a consultation.
Whatever you decide: Inform yourself thoroughly, do the maths and never use more of your credit limit than necessary.
Securities serve as collateral for Lombard loans, while the property itself serves as collateral for mortgages. Lombard loans are more flexible (repayment at any time without penalty), but have a margin call risk that does not exist with mortgages. Mortgage interest rates depend heavily on the model chosen (SARON mortgage vs. fixed-rate mortgage), the term and the current SNB base rate. Depending on the interest rate level, they can be lower or higher than the Lombard loan interest rates.
Yes, Lombard loan interest is deductible as debt interest - up to CHF 50,000 plus your investment income. In addition, the loan debt reduces your taxable assets. Both effects together make the Lombard loan attractive for tax purposes, especially for larger amounts. Important: The planned reform of the imputed rental value could change the rules on the deduction of interest on debt - more on this in the section ’Lombard loans and taxes« above.
If the value of your pledged securities falls below the lending limit, you will be asked to provide additional collateral or repay part of the loan. If you do not respond within the set period, the bank may be forced to sell your securities. The following therefore applies: Never use more than 20% of your securities account value as a loan.
Interest rates vary depending on the provider, loan volume and deposit level - you can find the current rates in our comparison table above. Lombard loan interest rates are variable and can change at any time.
This depends on the loan-to-value ratio of your securities. Broadly diversified ETFs (e.g. MSCI World) are typically lent at 50-70%, blue chip equities at 40-60%, bonds higher. With an ETF custody account of CHF 500,000 and 60% loan-to-value, your maximum credit limit would be CHF 300,000: Use a maximum of 20% of your custody account value as a loan. The 20% refers to the custody account value (here CHF 500,000), not to the credit limit (CHF 300,000) - this results in a maximum of CHF 100,000.
No. PostFinance does not offer a Lombard loan product. For securities loans, you have to switch to other providers such as Saxo, Swissquote or your house bank.
Zürcher Kantonalbank does not have a publicly advertised Lombard loan product for private customers. We could not find any conditions on the website. A Lombard loan may be available in Private Banking - it may be worth enquiring at your ZKB branch.
Yes, this is one of the most common use cases. Instead of selling your deposit, you lend it and use the money as equity for the mortgage. Important: The bank that gives you the mortgage must agree that the equity comes from a Lombard loan.
Typically accepted are: Shares, ETFs, bonds, investment funds and sometimes precious metals. Cryptocurrencies are generally not accepted as collateral by traditional Swiss banks and brokers. Principle: The more stable and liquid your securities, the higher the loan-to-value ratio - federal bonds, for example, are valued significantly higher than individual shares (details in the loan-to-value table above).
With online brokers such as Saxo or Swissquote, the credit line is usually available within 1-3 bank working days - according to Saxo, it is available within one day for private clients. At traditional banks with counselling sessions, it can also take 1-2 weeks.
Transparency: This article was created in paid co-operation with Saxo Bank (advertising). Saxo Bank would also be part of this comparison without the partnership due to its conditions. The editorial assessment, all conditions and the ranking of the providers have been independently researched and checked to the best of our knowledge.
Risk warning: This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax or legal advice. A Lombard loan is a credit product with risks - in particular the risk of a margin call and the forced sale of securities at unfavourable times. Despite careful research, interest rates, conditions and regulatory framework conditions may contain errors or change at any time. Before taking out a Lombard loan, find out about the current conditions directly from the respective provider and, if necessary, consult a qualified specialist (tax advisor, financial planner). Past returns are no guarantee of future results.
Eric is the founder of Schwiizerfranke.com and certified IAF wealth advisor. Since 2019, he has been helping Swiss citizens to organise their finances comprehensibly, independently and efficiently.
📌 Note: This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute personalised investment advice.