Foreign banks in Geneva: one institution in three, according to BAK

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Background

Alongside the historic private banks, UBS and regional institutions such as the cantonal bank, Migros Bank or Raiffeisen, foreign banks make up a significant part of the Swiss financial centre. Their weight is particularly pronounced in Geneva. The disappearance of Credit Suisse has changed the balance of the sector.

The key points

In Geneva, one banking institution in three belongs to a foreign group, compared with one in five in Zurich, according to the Tribune de Genève. A survey by the BAK Economics institute, published on Tuesday 10 November 2026, polls around a hundred companies on their presence in Switzerland.

According to this survey, the complementary role of foreign banks has grown in importance since the disappearance of Credit Suisse.

Key figures

• one in three : share of Geneva banking institutions owned by a foreign group
• one in five : same proportion in Zurich
• around a hundred : companies surveyed by BAK Economics

Further reading

• Mirabaud: the Geneva bank sells its wealth management business in Canada
• Banque Richelieu: new CEO and planned expansion into Geneva

Sources

• Tribune de Genève – Foreign banks slip into the Credit Suisse gap