A business bank account should let you receive payments, pay your bills and keep a clear record of your business transactions. If you are setting up a Swiss limited liability company (Sàrl/GmbH) or a company limited by shares (SA/AG), you also need to distinguish the capital deposit account used for incorporation from the current account used after registration.
The right choice depends on how your business operates: currencies, international payments, salaries, cash handling and accounting connections. This article explains which documents to prepare and which features to compare, bearing in mind that banks do not all accept the same circumstances.
At a glance
- A sole proprietorship has no share capital to deposit. When forming an LLC or an SA/AG, cash contributions are paid into a capital deposit account.
- A separate account makes a sole proprietor’s bookkeeping easier. An incorporated company’s funds must be managed in the company’s name and kept separate from its owners’ personal assets.
- Check whether the bank accepts your business activity and which documents it requires before focusing on monthly fees.
What is the difference between a capital deposit account and a current account?
A capital deposit account, also called a capital payment account, receives the cash contributions made to incorporate a company. The bank issues a certificate for the incorporation documents. The funds remain blocked until the company is entered in the Commercial Register and the bank receives the required supporting documents. Paying in the founders’ contributions and releasing the funds are therefore two separate steps.
The current account is then used for the company’s operations: customer payments, suppliers, social insurance contributions, rent and salaries. Depending on the bank, the capital deposit account may be converted into a business account automatically or a separate application may be required. Check this before you begin.
Once released, the share capital still belongs to the company. It can pay for business expenses, but it is not money that a shareholder can freely withdraw for personal use. This distinction remains essential even if one person owns all the shares.
| Situation | Main banking requirement |
|---|---|
| Starting a sole proprietorship | An operating account suited to the activity |
| Forming an LLC with cash contributions | A capital deposit account, followed by an operating account |
| Forming an SA/AG with cash contributions | A capital deposit account, followed by an operating account |
| An existing company changing banks | A new current account and a planned transition |
Does a sole proprietor need a separate bank account?
A sole proprietorship, known as a raison individuelle in French, has no legal personality separate from its owner. There is no general requirement for this legal structure to use a product marketed as a “business account”. However, a bank may prohibit commercial use of a personal account. Check its terms before receiving your first customer payments.
In practice, an account used only for business has an immediate advantage: each transaction is easier to explain. You avoid having to separate personal shopping, household rent and business purchases on the same statement.
Keeping separate accounts is only part of the job. Retain invoices and correctly identify money you put into the business and personal withdrawals. For example, transferring CHF 2,000 to your personal account to cover private expenses is a personal withdrawal: it does not reduce your business profit. Our article on sole proprietorships in Switzerland explains how this legal structure works.
Which documents should you prepare?
The documents required depend on the bank, legal structure, business sector and people involved. Even a fully online application is subject to identity checks and anti-money laundering requirements. In particular, the bank must identify its customer and the people who own or control the funds under the applicable rules.
Prepare the requested identity documents, details of authorised signatories, a description of the business and its ownership structure. For a company, the articles of association, Commercial Register extract or draft incorporation documents may be needed, depending on the stage reached.
| Document or information | Why the bank needs it |
|---|---|
| Signatories’ identities | To establish who can legally bind the business |
| Business activity and customers | To understand the expected transactions |
| Ownership structure | To identify who controls the entity |
| Source of funds | To understand how the banking relationship is funded |
| Countries, currencies and volumes | To assess the expected transaction profile |
| Formation documents | To verify the business’s existence and authorised representatives |
A concrete explanation is more useful than a broadly worded company purpose. “IT consulting for five Swiss clients, with monthly invoices in CHF” gives the bank a clear picture of the expected activity. International operations, complex ownership or unusual transactions may require further documentation.
Which fees and features should you compare?
The account fee is only one part of the cost. Check payment charges, cards, cash withdrawals, international transfers, currency conversion and the cost of any financing.
For a business invoicing Swiss customers, QR-bills, payment file imports and statements compatible with the accounting software are particularly useful. Employers should examine bulk payments and access permissions. Retailers should check how settlements from payment providers are reconciled, meaning matched to the corresponding sales and fees. This makes it easier to track customer receipts and avoids recording a settlement net of fees as the full value of a sale.
An annual cost comparison
Suppose you are comparing two fictional offers and expect 20 international transfers a year. Excluding currency conversion and other charges, the calculation is:
- Offer A: 12 × CHF 10 in account fees + 20 × CHF 8 per transfer = CHF 280 a year.
- Offer B: 12 × CHF 20 in account fees + 20 × CHF 3 per transfer = CHF 300 a year.
Offer A costs CHF 20 less in this example. At 24 transfers a year, both cost CHF 312; above that volume, offer B is cheaper for these cost items alone. Repeat the calculation using your expected volumes and add card charges, foreign exchange costs and any intermediary bank fees.
If the second offer saves several hours of reconciliation through an accounting connection, that time saving may matter more to your decision. Conversely, a business with no international payments should avoid paying for features it does not use.
How should you organise signing authority and account access?
Distinguish between signing authority recorded in the Commercial Register, bank mandates and technical access to online banking. View-only access should not allow payments. A team member who prepares a transfer does not necessarily need authority to approve it alone.
Decide who creates beneficiaries, prepares payments and approves them. Adapt this arrangement to the size of your team. Even in a small company, separate approval for unusual payments reduces the risk of mistakes and fraud.
When someone leaves, promptly remove their access and update the bank mandates. If the people authorised to represent the company change, also check the changes to register with the Commercial Register.
How can you change banks without disrupting the business?
Open and test the new account before closing the old one. Check incoming payments, outgoing payments and accounting imports. Then update your invoices, subscriptions, insurers, public authorities and payment providers.
Notify customers clearly and securely. An IBAN change can look like an attempted fraud: use your usual communication channels and provide a way to verify the change. Do not rely solely on an amended footer that customers may overlook.
Retain statements and documents from the old account. Online access may end when the account closes. Accounting books and records must be retained for ten years from the end of the relevant financial year (Article 958f of the Swiss Code of Obligations), regardless of how long the bank offers access. Keep readable files linked to the transactions and their supporting documents.
Conclusion: choose an account for everyday business use
Your business account should match your actual transactions and accounting processes. Prepare the documents, check the bank’s acceptance criteria and compare the full annual cost. If you are starting out, coordinate the banking formalities with your business formation so that an incomplete application does not delay your launch.
Frequently asked questions
Can a sole proprietor use a personal bank account?
Check with the bank, as its terms may restrict business use. A dedicated business account remains preferable for organising supporting documents and checking transactions.
Does a capital deposit account replace a current account?
It serves a different purpose: receiving and certifying cash contributions before the funds are released. Some banks convert it into a business account; others require a separate application.
Can you open an account if a shareholder lives abroad?
This may be possible, depending on the bank and the application. Residence, ownership structure, signatories and business activity affect the documents required and whether the bank accepts the relationship.
How long does it take to open an account?
There is no guaranteed timescale shared by all banks. A complete, straightforward application may progress quickly; additional checks can extend the process.
Should you keep statements after closing the account?
Yes. Download the necessary documents before closure and include them in the business’s records. Under Article 958f of the Swiss Code of Obligations, accounting books and records must be retained for ten years from the end of the relevant financial year.
Sources and references
- Swiss Code of Obligations: in particular Articles 633, 718, 777c, 814 and 958f (French).
- PostFinance: business account: an example of one bank’s features and terms (French).
- PostFinance: how its capital payment account works.
- FINMA: due diligence and anti-money laundering requirements.
- SECO SME portal: retaining accounting books and records.
References checked on 6 October 2026. The numerical offers above are fictional examples, not actual bank tariffs.
Romain Prieur is a Swiss certified public accountant and founder of Entreprendre.ch. With more than ten years of experience in auditing and supporting Swiss businesses, he advises entrepreneurs on company formation, accounting and taxation.
