Apart from numerous other qualities, the Swiss banking system is noted for its variety. The Swiss banking system is based on the concept of universal banking, whereby all banks can offer all banking services. Nevertheless, it has seen the development of different bank groups that have come to specialize in certain areas: 

Big banks

The two «big» banks - UBS AG and the Credit Suisse Group - together account for over 50% of the balance sheet total of all banks in Switzerland. UBS AG is the world's leader in wealth management and also Switzerland's leading bank for individual and corporate clients. It is also an important global player in investment banking and the securities business. Credit Suisse is a leading global bank headquartered in Zurich. Credit Suisse is renowned for providing expert advice, holistic solutions and innovative products to a wide range of corporate and institutional clients and high-net-worth individuals globally, as well as retail clients in Switzerland.

Source: www.swissbanking.org

Private banks

Among the oldest banks in Switzerland. Legal form: individually owned firms, collective and limited partnerships. Private bankers are subject to unlimited subsidiary liability with their personal assets. Field of activity: asset management, chiefly for private clients; as a rule, private banks do not publicly offer to accept savings deposits.

Source: www.swissbanking.org

Cantonal banks

Formerly one to two per canton, there are today a total of 24 Cantonal banks (in Switzerland's 26 cantons and half-cantons); Cantonal banks are semi-governmental organizations with a state guarantee. Liberalization is currently underway with respect to the state guarantee. Despite their close connection to the state, cantonal banks must comply with commercial principles in their business activities. Their objective, according to cantonal law, is to promote the canton's economy. Field of activity: engaged in all banking businesses; emphasis on lending/deposit business.

Source: www.swissbanking.org

Regional banks and savings banks

Smaller universal banks with an emphasis on lending/deposit business. These banks voluntarily restrict their activities to one region. Advantage: customer proximity -- they are acquainted with local circumstances and with regional business cycles.

Source: www.swissbanking.org

Raiffeisen Group

As a group of banks with the largest branch network in Switzerland, the Raiffeisen banks together form Raiffeisen Switzerland, which is responsible for the entire Raiffeisen Group strategy and for group-wide risk management. It also coordinates the group’s activities, creates the conditions for the business activities of the local Raiffeisen banks and advises and supports them in all issues. The bank group, which is structured as a cooperative, is one of Switzerland’s leading retail banks. In recent years, Raiffeisen has positioned and established itself as the third largest bank group in Switzerland. Raiffeisen meanwhile counts 3 million Swiss citizens among its customers. Of these, some 1.4 million are members of the cooperative and hence co-owners of their Raiffeisen bank. They value the decisive benefits of Raiffeisen: Proximity to the customer, support, reliability and the exclusive benefits for members of the cooperative.

Source: www.swissbanking.org

Foreign banks

Foreign-control means that over half of the company's votes are held by foreigners with qualified interests. Origin of banks: Europe, predominantly EU (over 50%), Japan (around 20%). Fields of activity: foreign business (share of foreign assets in the balance sheet total is 70%), asset management.

Source: www.swissbanking.org

Other banks

This bank group includes banks with various business objectives, such as: institutes specializing in the stock exchange, securities and asset management businesses; commercial banks: as a rule, these are universal banks for which mortgage investments play a significant role, in addition to commercial loans to trade, industry and commerce; and consumer credit institutes: institutes specializing in small loans (to private individuals and the industry).

Source: www.swissbanking.org