Mattia Scolaro, Business Development Lead at Alpian, shares insights about Switzerland’s first digital private bank and its new way of banking.
Alpian launched its services a few months ago after having obtained a full-banking license from FINMA in 2022. Can you explain what Alpian is, for the people who are not familiar with it?
Mattia Scolaro: Alpian is Switzerland’s first digital private bank. It has been created with the aim of offering accessible and sophisticated wealth management solutions, with transparent and fair pricing.
Alpian provides a fully digital solution ranging from retail banking services to investment mandates without forgetting the importance of having a dedicated team of certified professionals who can support and guide every client.
What sets Alpian apart from other banks in Switzerland?
Many people find themselves in a difficult position when it comes to choosing a banking partner. On one hand, they want access to the latest technology and digital solutions. On the other hand, they also value personalized investment strategies and still place a high value on human interactions, such as face-to-face meetings with their bankers or access to a dedicated team.
At Alpian, we are addressing these challenges by combining all these aspects. This allows clients to enjoy the benefits of digital banking while still receiving personalized advice and support from human experts.
Opening an account with us takes only 8 minutes. The process is paperless, and no minimum deposit is needed to open the account.
Clients who are looking for investment solutions can begin with an investment of 30,000 Swiss francs. That is far below what you can find on the market when looking for a customized professional portfolio.
You talked about personalized investment, how does Alpian cater to the specific needs and preferences of its clients?
Every client can create their investor profile once the account has been activated. This profile takes into consideration many factors – from the financial situation of the client to the investment objectives. But it also accounts for the preferences and restrictions the client might have, and the client’s behavior when it comes to facing gains and losses.
All these factors are key to defining the investment strategy of the client, and creating a portfolio which is unique to their needs and wishes.
When traditional banks usually offer 3 to 5 standard portfolios (based on a risk assessment), our model allows us to have an infinite number of possible solutions which are then managed by our investment team.
With all the news we have been reading during the last months about banks, people are becoming more cautious when choosing their financial partners. How does Alpian ensure that its clients' investments are safe and secure?
First of all, we are a bank with a Swiss banking license, issued by FINMA. It means we are subject to the same regulations as other established banks. This banking license provides our clients with the Swiss bank guarantees for cash deposits (up to 100,000 Swiss francs per client).
For investments, we do not use our own funds, and our clients’ investments are not included on our balance sheets. Investments are always made using investment products from well-known and best-in-class fund managers.
When our clients have questions, they can always get in touch with our wealth management team via our in-app chat service or by booking a videocall. This forms the basis for a sustainable and trusting relationship.
Finally, can you explain Alpian's approach to pricing?
Of course, our clients benefit from a simple pricing model. The costs are made up of a basic quarterly fee (this can be as low as 0 francs, depending on the value of your custody account), and a flat fee equal to 0.75 percent of the assets under management.
There are no hidden costs for other services and transactions. We constantly aim to offer the best pricing possible. For example, we offer the best currency exchange rates of all licensed Swiss private banks.
By the way, if you want to discover Alpian full offering and services, you can now download the Alpian app on the App Store or Google Play. Alpian is offering moneyland.ch readers a special promotion to test out banking solution free of charge for the first 12 months. Download the Alpian App and use the code MNLAND to get this benefit!
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