Wise

Wise is a UK-regulated money transfer service with users in Switzerland, useful at the start of a relocation when you need to move money from a foreign account before your Swiss banking is set up. Its multi-currency account can hold CHF alongside EUR, GBP, USD and around 40 other currencies, with the ability to convert between them at the mid-market exchange rate plus a small transparent fee.

It’s worth knowing the limitation upfront: Wise doesn’t provide a Swiss IBAN. Most Swiss landlords, health insurers and payroll systems require a CH-prefixed IBAN, so Wise works as a bridge for international transfers rather than a replacement for a Swiss current account. Around 74 percent of transfers arrive in under 20 seconds. The app and web interface are in English, and the account opens without a Swiss address.