WIR Bank project manager Jaqueline Brunner explains the free Top bank package and the struggle against hidden fees in everyday banking.
Mrs. Brunner, the WIR Bank is already well-known for its savings and retirement accounts. Now you are breaking new ground in payments as well.
Jaqueline Brunner: Up until now, the WIR Bank primarily aimed to offer private customers top conditions for savings and retirement planning. Thanks to digitization we can now take another step with a focus on payments. Here too, we remain true to our goal of providing the most favorable conditions. Our Top bank package includes the best Swiss debit card.
How does the Top bank package stand out?
The Top bank package is comprised of the Top private account and a Debit Mastercard. The package is available as either a personal or a joint account. The debit card can be used with all major mobile payment services, including Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.
A feature that is worth highlighting are the low fees, which are “top” in the truest sense of the word. Both the private account and the debit card do not have basic account and card fees.
Additionally, 24 cash withdrawals per year are also free of charge – both in Switzerland and in foreign countries. What is more, our Debit Mastercard has no hidden fees. That makes it the best Swiss debit card, in our opinion.
What exactly does “no hidden fees” mean?
Most Swiss Banks charge foreign transaction fees when you use their debit cards to pay for purchases from merchants outside of Switzerland. On top of that fee, they also add a markup to currency exchange rates, which in many cases is even higher than the foreign transaction fee. Many customers do not even know that they are paying those currency exchange markups.
The Top bank package from WIR Bank has no foreign transaction fees and no currency exchange markups. We convert currencies at interbank rates. That means there are no hidden costs.
If you regularly travel outside of Switzerland or make online purchases in foreign currencies, then using the Debit Mastercard from Bank WIR can easily save you hundreds of francs in fees. In that case, the Top bank package is the optimal bank account for you.
How does your offer differ from neobanks?
Neobanks shook up the Swiss banking world with their lower fees. But the Top bank package brings more to the table: We are at the top of the game in terms of low fees, but also give you all of the advantages of an established, traditional Swiss cooperative bank. In addition to security, you get personal consultation and a broad palette of banking services.
Which services does the WIR Bank offer private customers?
We offer the entire range of banking services that Swiss consumers would expect to get from their main bank. We offer solutions for retirement planning, saving, investing, payments, and financing.
What do you offer in terms of savings and retirement planning solutions?
The WIR Bank offers three different savings accounts: Shareholder savings accounts, 60+ savings accounts, and regular savings accounts. Our savings accounts are often among the top performers in comparisons. The same applies to our fixed deposit accounts.
For retirement planning, we offer the Terzo pillar 3a account and a vested benefits account – both of which also have favorable interest rates.
Do you plan to introduce additional services in the future?
Yes. For example, our customers will be able to use Twint from autumn this year. The online platform VIAC Invest will let you invest cost-effectively in index-based funds starting from one franc. And there are also other products in the works.
Last but not least: How can I sign up for the Top bank package?
If you are already a WIR Bank private customer, then you can easily sign up for the Top bank package directly through the online banking customer portal. If you are not already a WIR Bank customer, you can easily sign up for the Top bank package online with self-onboarding.
You will normally receive the debit card within around five workdays, before which you will receive the PIN code and the access code for the debiX+ card management service.
You can find more information about the package here:
Top bank package: more information
