380 per cent in six years. This is the increase in formal “restrictions” imposed by Swiss banks, as reported to the Banking Ombudsman since 2019. Beat Schmid published the numbers this week on Tippinpoint, based on the Ombudsman’s new annual report.
The figure deserves attention, also beyond the immediate news cycle.
The data, in short
In 2025, the Ombudsman registered 168 written cases of bank-side restrictions, compared to 35 in 2019. Most of them relate to accounts, payments and cards. And, as Tippinpoint correctly notes, the real number is likely higher. Many clients simply do not know that the Ombudsman exists.
What is really happening
Behind the numbers stands a quiet but important shift. The relationship between client and bank has changed.
For decades, the Swiss bank was the entry point to the financial system. Today, it is increasingly a gatekeeper. Tighter compliance, stricter cross-border rules and the integration of Credit Suisse into UBS have all reinforced this role. None of these developments is wrong in itself. Each of them has a good reason.
But taken together, they create a new reality. A client relationship is no longer a given. It is the result of a risk assessment that can be reviewed at any time.
Three observations from an independent perspective
First, debanking is rarely about one single factor. It is usually the combination of jurisdiction, source of wealth, business activity and documentation. Clients who underestimate this combination are the most exposed.
Second, the burden of proof has shifted. Clients today need to explain their situation more proactively than ten years ago. Silence is often interpreted as risk.
Third, redundancy matters. A single banking relationship is no longer a stable setup for entrepreneurs, international families or clients with more complex profiles. Diversification is no longer only an investment principle. It is also a structural one.
What this means for the Swiss financial centre
Switzerland has built its reputation on stability, discretion and trust. The current trend does not contradict these values, but it tests them. If compliance becomes the only language between client and bank, something important is lost. The conversation about how to balance regulation, risk and relationship is overdue.
The Tippinpoint article is a useful starting point for that conversation.
Source: Beat Schmid, Tippinpoint, 21 May 2026 – https://www.tippinpoint.ch/artikel/78796/debanking_nimmt_in_der_schweiz_stark_zu.html
