Switzerland is a banking capital. From private banks to cantonal banks, the country hosts countless financial services providers. Many of these financial firms have been in operation for centuries. The oldest Swiss banks are listed in table 1.
Table 1: Oldest Swiss banks by year of founding
Year of founding |
Name of bank |
Kind of bank |
1750 |
Rahn and Bodmer |
Private bank |
1796 |
Lombard Odier & Cie |
Private bank |
1805 |
Pictet & Cie (originally De Candolle, Turrettini & Cie) |
Private bank |
1812 |
Sparkasse Schwyz |
Regional bank |
1813 |
Dreyfus Sons & Co |
Private bank |
1814 |
Caisse d'Epargne Riviera |
Regional bank |
1815 |
Bank Bonhôte & Cie |
Private bank |
1816 |
Clientis Sparcassa 1816 (originally Ersparungs-Cassa Wädenschwil) |
Regional bank |
1817 |
Ersparniskasse Schaffhausen |
Regional bank |
1819 |
Ersparniskasse Speicher |
Regional bank |
1819 |
Mirabaud & Cie |
Private bank |
1819 |
Regiobank Solothurn (originally Ersparniskasse der Stadt Solothurn) |
Regional bank |
1820 |
Bank Zimmerberg (originally Ersparnis Kasse für die Gemeinde Horgen) |
Regional bank |
1820 |
Burgerliche Ersparniskasse Bern |
Regional bank |
1821 |
Bank EEK |
Regional bank |
What does Cie mean?
Cie is the abbreviated form of the French word Compagnie (company). The term indicates that the company has additional partners apart from the one whose name is represented in its title. The term “& Cie” was commonly used in German in the past, which is why it often appears in the names of long-established companies. Today, the English term & Co. (and company) is more commonly used in Switzerland. The meanings of the terms “& Cie” and “& Co.” are identical.
The five biggest Swiss banks, on the other hand, are relatively young compared to the oldest Swiss financial firms. The years in which the largest Swiss banks were established are shown in table 2.
Table 2: Biggest Swiss banks by year of founding
Year of founding |
Name of bank |
Kind of bank |
1856 |
Credit Suisse |
Private bank |
1862 |
UBS |
Private bank |
1870 |
Zürcher Kantonalbank |
Cantonal bank |
1899 |
Raiffeisen Schweiz |
Bank cooperative |
1906 |
Postfinance |
Federal bank |
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