Updated on 11 November 2026 · approx. 16 minutes · by Helga Baechler, certified wealth advisor IAF
You want to invest your money but don’t know where to start? I know that feeling well. Here I explain step by step how investing works in Switzerland. With charts, tables and examples, and with small amounts too.
In short: how to start
- Emergency fund: 3 to 6 months of expenses in a separate account.
- Pillar 3a: a pension account that saves you tax every year.
- Open a brokerage account: your account for shares and ETFs, for example at Yuh or Swissquote.
- Choose a world ETF: one basket with thousands of companies. One is enough to start.
- Set up a savings plan: a fixed amount is invested automatically every month.
- Stick with it: even when prices go up and down.
Investing in one picture
This is how your money flows when you invest. Each step builds on the one before.
Simplified illustration, not investment advice.
Before you invest, a simple savings system with standing orders is worth it. You can read how in Automatic saving in Switzerland.
1. Why invest at all?
There are two simple reasons. In a savings account your money slowly loses value. And if you invest, you benefit from compound interest.
Reason 1: inflation eats your savings
Prices rise a little every year. This is called inflation. Your account still shows the same amount, but you can buy less with it.
What CHF 10’000 is still worth
Purchasing power at 2% inflation per year
Example with 2% inflation per year. Real inflation varies from year to year.
Reason 2: compound interest works for you
When you invest, you own small pieces of companies. When they make a profit, you profit too. You reinvest the returns, and they earn returns themselves. That is compound interest. The longer you stay invested, the steeper the curve.
CHF 200 per month over 30 years
Assuming 5% return per year, no guarantee
| Period | Paid in | Return | Portfolio value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 years | CHF 24’000 | approx. CHF 7’100 | approx. CHF 31’100 |
| 20 years | CHF 48’000 | approx. CHF 34’200 | approx. CHF 82’200 |
| 30 years | CHF 72’000 | approx. CHF 94’500 | approx. CHF 166’500 |
Example assuming 5% return per year, compounded monthly, without fees, taxes or price swings. Not a forecast.
💡 The key point: After 30 years you have paid in CHF 72’000 yourself in this example, but your portfolio holds approx. CHF 166’500. More than half is return. That is why starting early matters more than having a lot of money. Try your own numbers in the compound interest calculator or the ETF savings plan calculator .
2. Short term it swings, long term it grows
The stock market goes up and down, sometimes a lot. That is normal. The chart shows how it feels. There are setbacks, even real crashes. After big drops, world markets have always recovered so far. But that is no guarantee for the future.
What investing over 20 years looks like
Example curve for illustration, not real price data
Remember: If you sell at the bottom, you turn a paper loss into a real loss. The more time you have, the better you can sit out the swings. This time is called your investment horizon.
| When do you need the money? | Share of stocks as a rule of thumb |
|---|---|
| in less than 5 years | 0%, the money stays in the savings account |
| in 5 to 10 years | approx. 30 to 60%, the rest in bonds or cash |
| in more than 10 years | approx. 60 to 100%, depending on how well you handle swings |
Rough rule of thumb, not investment advice. Bonds are loans to companies or governments with a fixed interest rate.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
❌ A single share
- All your money is in one company
- If it goes bust, up to 100% is gone
- High risk
✅ A world ETF
- Your money is in thousands of companies
- If one drops out, you hardly notice
- This is called diversification
A world ETF can also fall sharply when the whole market falls. But the risk of a single company is much smaller.
3. Your foundation before the first franc
You don’t build a house starting with the roof. Investing works the same way. Start at the bottom and only move up a level when the one below is in place.
Your investment pyramid
build from the bottom up
Level 1: the emergency fund
The emergency fund helps you in emergencies, for example if you lose your job or need an expensive repair. That way you never have to sell your ETFs when the market is down.
| Your expenses per month | Emergency fund 3 months | Emergency fund 6 months |
|---|---|---|
| CHF 2’500 | CHF 7’500 | CHF 15’000 |
| CHF 3’500 | CHF 10’500 | CHF 21’000 |
| CHF 5’000 | CHF 15’000 | CHF 30’000 |
Your exact amount is in the emergency fund calculator, your expenses in the budget calculator Switzerland. A separate, free account works well for the emergency fund, for example neon.
Level 2: pillar 3a, your tax bonus
Switzerland has three pillars for retirement. The first two run automatically. With pillar 3a you have to act yourself, and it is worth it.
| Pillar | What is it? | Do you need to do anything? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · AHV | The state basic pension via salary deductions | No, it runs automatically |
| 2 · Pension fund | Occupational pension via your employer | No, it runs automatically |
| 3a · Pillar 3a | Voluntary and tax-advantaged. 2026 max. CHF 7’258 with a pension fund. Locked until shortly before retirement. | Yes, usually worth it |
| 3b · free portfolio | Investing without tax advantage, without limits and available any time | Yes, that is what this guide is about |
Maximum amount 2026 according to the federal government. Without a pension fund, 20% of earned income applies, max. CHF 36’288.
👍 Why pillar 3a makes sense
- You save income tax every year
- With ETFs, the money can grow over the long term
- A fixed framework for your retirement savings
☝️ What you should know
- The money is locked until shortly before retirement
- There are exceptions, for example for buying a home
- There is a maximum amount per year
How much you save is shown in the pillar 3a tax calculator. My two favourites for a low-cost pillar 3a with ETFs are finpension and findependent. I explain everything else in the pillar 3a guide for expats.
My clear advice: Don’t take out pillar 3a with an insurance company. Combining saving and insurance is far too expensive. The Swiss consumer programme Kassensturz explains why in its report on mixed life insurance (in German).
4. Your plan in 8 steps
With this plan you will have your first ETF in about two weeks. After that everything runs automatically.
Week 1 · Foundation
- Check your finances and build an emergency fund
Write down what you spend per month. Put 3 to 6 months of expenses in a separate account.
⏱ 30 min💰 CHF 0 - Check pillar 3a
Open a low-cost pillar 3a with ETFs. In 2026 you can pay in up to CHF 7’258 and deduct it from your taxes.
⏱ 15 min💰 you choose the amount - Open a brokerage account
Via the app with your passport or ID and a short video. You must be 18 and live in Switzerland. Enter the code right when you sign up.
⏱ 10 min💰 no custody fee at Yuh
Week 2 · First purchase
- Transfer money
Via e-banking to your new account. CHF 500 is a good start.
⏱ 5 min💰 e.g. CHF 500 - Choose your first ETF
One broad world ETF is enough. What to look for is explained below in What to buy?
⏱ 10 min💰 TER approx. 0.1 to 0.3% - Make your first purchase
Search for the ETF, tap «Buy», enter the amount in CHF, order type «Market». On weekdays during trading hours.
⏱ 5 min💰 CHF 3.25 for CHF 500 (Yuh)
From month 2 · Automatic
- Set up a savings plan
A fixed amount, for example CHF 100 to 200, shortly after payday.
⏱ 5 min💰 no purchase fee for many ETFs - Stick with it
Checking once a year is enough. You need the tax statement for your tax return.
⏱ 1 hour per year💰 CHF 0
Example: Lisa, 28, starts with CHF 500
Lisa spends approx. CHF 3’000 per month. Her emergency fund of CHF 9’000 is already in place. This is her first year at Yuh.
| What | Amount | Costs |
|---|---|---|
| First purchase world ETF | CHF 500 | CHF 2.50 fee + CHF 0.75 stamp duty |
| Savings plan from month 2 | 11 × CHF 150 = CHF 1’650 | CHF 0 fee + approx. CHF 2.50 stamp duty |
| Custody fee | – | CHF 0 |
| Total after 1 year | CHF 2’150 invested | approx. CHF 5.70 |
Fees according to yuh.com, as of November 2026. Stamp duty 0.15% for an ETF with a foreign ISIN. Plus the annual TER of the ETF. Simplified example without price swings, not investment advice.
5. What to buy? The world ETF simply explained
A share is a small part of a company. An ETF is like a basket of many shares that you can buy on the stock exchange. With a world ETF you own small pieces of more than a thousand companies from many countries.
Examples of companies held in typical world ETFs. Whether a company is included depends on the index.
Every ETF follows an index, a list of companies. The best-known world indices.
| Index | What is in it? | Suits you if you … |
|---|---|---|
| MSCI World | approx. 1’250 large and mid-sized companies from 23 developed countries, over 70% USA | only want developed countries |
| MSCI ACWI | Developed and emerging markets together | want the whole world in one index |
| FTSE All-World | Developed and emerging markets such as China or India, often several thousand companies | want to diversify as broadly as possible |
Source MSCI factsheet as of 30.10.2026. I compare specific ETFs in 10 world ETFs compared (in German).
What to look for when choosing
| Feature | What does it mean? | Good is … |
|---|---|---|
| TER | The ongoing fees per year | below 0.30% |
| Fund size | How much money is in the ETF | at least CHF 100 million |
| Physical | The ETF really buys the shares | physical rather than synthetic |
| Accumulating | Dividends are reinvested automatically | practical for building wealth |
| Savings plan | Is the ETF in the free savings plan of your app? | yes, saves fees |
I explain the basics in ETFs simply explained, all points are in the ETF selection checklist and in the ETF guide (in German).
Which strategy suits you?
For most beginners, one world ETF is enough. These are the options, and they differ mainly in effort.
| Strategy | Effort | Diversification | Suits you if you … |
|---|---|---|---|
| World ETF | very low | very broad | want it as simple as possible |
| Core-Satellite | medium | broad | want 70 to 90% world ETF and add your own accents with the rest |
| Dividends | high | narrower | want regular payouts to your account |
| Sustainable | low to medium | broad | want to know where your money is invested |
| Robo-advisor | very low | very broad | don’t want to take care of anything |
Rough guidance, not an investment recommendation. More on dividends in the dividend guide (in German).
6. Where to buy? Broker or robo-advisor
With a broker you buy yourself, a robo-advisor does everything automatically. Just follow the questions.
No
Yes · Are you starting with small amounts?
Rough guidance, not investment advice. You can switch at any time later or combine both.
Yuh and Swissquote compared
I use both brokers myself. My dividend portfolio has been at Swissquote since June 2020.
| Yuh | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|
| Suits you if you … | want to start simply and with small amounts | invest larger amounts and want a lot of choice |
| Custody fee | none | CHF 20 to 50 per quarter, plus VAT |
| Fee per purchase | 0.50% up to CHF 10’000, min. CHF 1 | fixed amount depending on order size |
| Savings plan | from CHF 10, many ETFs without purchase fee | yes |
| Bonus with code | CHF 50 + 250 Swissqoin | CHF 100 trading credits |
Source yuh.com and swissquote.com, as of November 2026. Stamp duty comes on top. Details in Swissquote vs Saxo vs Yuh and Swissquote review.
Robo-advisors compared
| Provider | Fee per year | Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| finpension Invest | 0.39%, plus approx. 0.08 to 0.10% product fees | CHF 1 |
| findependent | 0.29 to 0.40%, plus 0.12 to 0.25% fund fees | CHF 500 |
| Selma | 0.42 to 0.68%, plus product fees | check with the provider |
Source provider websites, as of October 2026. All providers in the robo-advisor comparison Switzerland (in German).
Why not just at your main bank? Banks often sell their own funds for 1 to 2% per year. A broad ETF often costs only 0.10 to 0.30%. You can see what difference that makes below under costs.
7. The savings plan: set it up once, then it runs
A savings plan is like a standing order for ETFs. You set the amount and day once, then the app buys automatically for you every month.
The cost-average effect
With a fixed amount you automatically buy fewer units when prices are high and more units when prices are low. That way you never have to look for the perfect moment.
Invest CHF 100 every month
At a low price you get more units
| Month | You invest | Price | You get |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHF 100 | CHF 50 | 2 units |
| 2 | CHF 100 | CHF 40 | 2.5 units |
| 3 | CHF 100 | CHF 50 | 2 units |
| Total | CHF 300 | Ø CHF 46.67 | 6.5 units, Ø CHF 46.15 |
Simplified example without fees. Your average price is below the average market price.
Step by step guides: set up a Swissquote savings plan, free Yuh ETF savings plan and ETF savings plan comparison Switzerland (in German).
8. Costs and taxes simply explained
There are only a few fees when investing. They sound small, but over many years they make a big difference.
CHF 50’000 over 20 years
Same 5% return before fees, only the fee is different
Simplified example without price swings or further deposits, no guarantee.
| Fee | What is it? | How to keep it low |
|---|---|---|
| TER | Ongoing fee of the ETF per year | choose an ETF below 0.30% |
| Trading fee | Fee for every purchase and sale | use a savings plan without purchase fee |
| Custody fee | Fee for holding your securities | free at Yuh |
| Stamp duty | 0.075% for Swiss, 0.15% for foreign securities | don’t trade back and forth constantly |
| Management fee | for robo-advisors, yearly on your whole portfolio | compare providers |
Stamp duty according to the Federal Tax Administration. Most world ETFs have a foreign ISIN, for example from Ireland.
Taxes at a glance
| Topic | How it works |
|---|---|
| Capital gains | tax-free for private individuals |
| Dividends | declare as income in your tax return |
| Portfolio value | declare as wealth as of 31 December |
| Withholding tax | 35% on Swiss dividends, reclaim it via your tax return |
| US shares | with the W-8BEN form, US withholding tax drops to 15% |
General information, practice can differ by canton. If you are taxed at source as an expat, other rules may apply. More in ETF taxes Switzerland (in German).
9. My codes for your start
With my codes you get a bonus when you open an account. It costs you nothing extra. Tap the code to copy it and enter it right when you sign up. It usually cannot be added later.
*Advertising, affiliate links. Bonus and conditions according to the provider, as of November 2026. More codes, for example for Selma, Inyova and Descartes, are in all promo codes.
10. The most common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
Most beginners don’t lose money because they pick the wrong share. They lose money because they buy without a plan, trade too often and sell too early. To make it easy to picture, let’s look over Mia’s shoulder.
Example: Mia, 26, just starts buying
Mia has saved CHF 3’000 and opens her first brokerage account. She is excited about the stock market but has no plan. This is what her first six months look like.
| Month | What Mia does | What goes wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Month 1 | Buys 6 shares she saw on Instagram and TikTok | No plan, she doesn’t know how the companies make money |
| Month 2 | One share rises 12%, Mia sells immediately | Small profit, the share keeps rising without her |
| Month 3 | A hype share falls 30%, Mia keeps it and even buys more | Winner sold, loser kept |
| Month 4 | The market falls approx. 10%, Mia sells almost everything out of fear | A paper loss becomes a real loss |
| Month 5 | Prices recover, Mia buys back in | She buys back at higher prices than she sold |
| Month 6 | Result after 40 purchases and sales | approx. CHF 320 in fees, portfolio in the red |
Made-up, simplified example. Assumes approx. CHF 8 per order including fees, stamp duty and exchange rate. Not investment advice.
The surprising part: After six months the market is almost back where it was. Mia still lost money. The market was not the problem, her behaviour was. Let’s look at these mistakes one by one.
Mistake 1: buying at random without a plan
Mia buys what everyone else is buying. In the end her portfolio is a random mix of names she heard somewhere. The problem is simple. If you don’t know why you buy something, you also don’t know when to sell it. Then fear and greed decide for you.
3 questions many people ask themselves before buying
- Why am I buying this?
Can you say in one sentence how the company makes money?
- How long do I want to keep it?
A common rule of thumb is at least 5 to 10 years for money in the stock market.
- What will I do if it falls 30%?
The honest answer shows how well an investment fits your risk tolerance.
A common principle is core and playground. The percentages are an example, not a recommendation.
🏠 Core, approx. 80 to 90%
- One broad world ETF
- Runs automatically via a savings plan
- Stays invested for the long term
🎈 Playground, max. 10 to 20%
- Single shares to learn
- Only companies you understand
- Small part, losses weigh less
Mistake 2: constantly buying and selling
Every order costs money, whether you win or lose afterwards. With small amounts this matters even more. In six months Mia paid more than 50 times the fees that Lisa from the example above paid in a whole year.
Fees compared
Mia trades constantly, Lisa has a savings plan
Simplified example. Mia with 40 orders at approx. CHF 8, Lisa with a savings plan at Yuh, see the example in section 4.
This is how fast costs add up with a CHF 3’000 portfolio.
| How often you trade | Orders per year | Costs per year | Share of portfolio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savings plan, 1× per month | 12 | a few francs of stamp duty | approx. 0.1% |
| 1× per month by hand | 12 | approx. CHF 96 | approx. 3.2% |
| 1× per week | 52 | approx. CHF 416 | approx. 13.9% |
| 3× per week | 156 | approx. CHF 1’248 | approx. 41.6% |
Assumes approx. CHF 8 per manual order. By comparison, a broad world ETF costs only approx. 0.1 to 0.25% per year (TER). More in costs and taxes.
Mistake 3: selling too early and not holding long enough
Mia sells her winner after 12% and keeps her loser. This happens to many people and even has a name, the disposition effect. «Locking in» a profit feels good. Admitting a loss hurts. So in the end the bad shares stay in the portfolio and the good ones are gone.
❌ What Mia does
- Take profits quickly
- Sit out losses and buy more
- Out again after a few weeks
✅ What often works better
- Let good investments run for a long time
- Only sell if the reason for buying has changed
- Think in years, not weeks
Why is time so important? Because compound interest only really takes off after many years. Look at what Mia’s CHF 3’000 could become if she simply left it invested.
| Investment period | CHF 3’000 becomes | Of which profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | CHF 3’180 | CHF 180 |
| 5 years | CHF 4’015 | CHF 1’015 |
| 10 years | CHF 5’373 | CHF 2’373 |
| 20 years | CHF 9’621 | CHF 6’621 |
| 30 years | CHF 17’230 | CHF 14’230 |
Assuming 6% return per year after costs, returns are reinvested. No guarantee, the real return can be lower or higher. Calculate it yourself with the ETF savings plan calculator .
Mistake 4: selling in panic and coming back too late
The most important stock market rule sounds very simple. Buy low, sell high. In months 4 and 5 Mia does exactly the opposite. She sells at the bottom and buys back at higher prices after the recovery.
How Mia loses money although the market recovers
Example curve for illustration, not real price data
If Mia had simply done nothing, she would be at about zero in month 6. Price drops are part of the stock market, as you saw in section 2 . When your share or ETF falls, these questions can help you put it into perspective.
Has anything fundamental changed about the company or your plan?
No
Yes
Mistake 5: chasing every hype
When suddenly everyone is talking about a share, the price has usually already risen a lot. Anyone who gets in then often buys at the top. Watch out for these warning signs.
- The share has doubled in a few weeks
- You only know it from social media or a chat
- Someone promises you quick and safe profits
- You are mainly afraid of missing out, this is called FOMO
Good to know: Boring is often more relaxing on the stock market. Hectic back and forth mainly costs fees and nerves.
Mistake 6: checking the app every day
If you check your portfolio daily, you keep seeing red numbers and get nervous. And nervous people make mistakes 2 to 5. This is how you protect yourself from yourself.
- Turn off push notifications: Many long-term investors do without price alerts.
- Check once a month: That is enough for many.
- Set up a savings plan: Then you invest automatically and don’t have to decide anything. How it works is in section 7.
Watch out for the tax trap when trading a lot
In Switzerland, capital gains on private assets are generally tax-free. But if you trade a lot, the tax office can classify you as a professional securities trader . Then the gains are taxable as income and AHV contributions are added. The Federal Tax Administration names five criteria. If you meet all of them, you are on the safe side.
- Holding period: You hold sold securities for at least 6 months.
- Trading volume: All purchases and sales together are at most five times your portfolio at the start of the year.
- Gains: Your capital gains make up less than half of your taxable income.
- No loans: You don’t invest with borrowed money, or the returns cover the interest.
- Derivatives: You use options and similar products only for hedging.
With 40 orders Mia quickly reached a trading volume of over CHF 20’000, more than five times her CHF 3’000. And she held hardly any position for 6 months. If you don’t meet all criteria, you are not automatically a professional trader. But the tax office will then look at your individual case, and some cantons are stricter.
Source Federal Tax Administration, circular no. 36 «Professional securities trading», as of November 2026. Not tax advice, if in doubt ask your tax office.
Mia and Lisa compared
| ❌ Mia | ✅ Lisa | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | None, buys whatever is trendy | World ETF with a savings plan |
| Orders per year | approx. 80 | 12 |
| Costs per year | approx. CHF 640 | approx. CHF 5.70 |
| Time spent | In the app every day | Set up once, then approx. 10 minutes per month |
| Stress | High | Low |
| Tax risk | Present | Practically none |
How Lisa starts: She uses the Yuh app, which I use myself too. There you can set up a savings plan on a world ETF in a few minutes, without order fees. With my code YUHLIEBE you get CHF 50 trading credits and 250 Swissqoin. All codes are in section 9.
All mistakes at a glance
| ❌ Mistake | ✅ What often helps |
|---|---|
| Waiting too long because the choice is overwhelming | Start with one world ETF and a small amount |
| Starting without an emergency fund | First set aside 3 to 6 months of expenses |
| Putting everything on a single share | Diversify broadly, for example with a world ETF |
| Buying at random without a plan | Ask the 3 questions before every purchase, separate core and playground |
| Constantly buying and selling | Stick to your strategy, it also saves fees |
| Taking profits too early, keeping losses | Let good investments run, think in years |
| Checking the app every day | Push notifications off, check once a month |
| Chasing every hype | Only buy what you understand |
| Selling in panic during a crash | Stay calm, the savings plan keeps running |
| Relying only on tips from friends | Read up yourself and compare fees |
| Forgetting the code when opening an account | Enter the code right when you sign up |
Want to test your knowledge? Take my investing quiz for beginners (in German).
11. Your start checklist
Tap an item to tick it off.
0 of 8 done
- I know my expenses per month.
- My emergency fund of 3 to 6 months of expenses is in a separate account.
- I have opened a low-cost pillar 3a with ETFs.
- My brokerage account is open, with a code entered at sign-up.
- I have chosen a broad world ETF with a low TER.
- My savings plan runs automatically every month.
- I know that prices go up and down, and I don’t sell in panic.
- Once a year I check in and file the tax statement.
Terms simply explained
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Share | A small stake in a company |
| Investment horizon | The time until you need the invested money |
| Broker | Provider through which you buy and sell on the stock exchange |
| Brokerage account | Your account for shares and ETFs (in Swiss German «Depot») |
| Diversification | Spreading your money across many companies, countries and sectors |
| Dividend | Part of the profit a company pays out to shareholders |
| ETF | An exchange-traded fund with many shares in one product |
| Index | A list of companies an ETF tracks, for example the MSCI World |
| Inflation | Rising prices, your money buys less over time |
| ISIN | The worldwide unique number of a security |
| Robo-advisor | Digital wealth manager that invests automatically |
| Savings plan | Automatic purchase of a fixed amount, for example every month |
| TER | Total expense ratio, the ongoing fees of an ETF per year |
| Accumulating | The ETF reinvests the dividends automatically |
A term is missing? Let it be explained with my AI prompts for investing (in German).
12. FAQ about investing for beginners
How do I start investing in Switzerland?
First build an emergency fund of 3 to 6 months of expenses. Then check pillar 3a, because it saves tax. After that open a brokerage account, for example at Yuh or Swissquote, and set up a savings plan on a broad world ETF.
How much money do I need to start?
At Yuh an ETF savings plan starts from just CHF 10 per month. finpension Invest has no fixed minimum, findependent starts from CHF 500. More important than the amount is that you start at all.
How much should I invest per month?
Choose an amount you can pay even in difficult months. Many start with CHF 50 to 200 per month and increase it with every pay rise. But budget and emergency fund come first.
Can I lose money investing?
Yes. Prices can fall sharply, in bad years by 30% or more. With a broad world ETF, an emergency fund and plenty of time, the risk of having to sell at a loss drops. There is no guarantee. Only invest money you won’t need for at least 10 years.
What is the difference between a share and an ETF?
A share is a stake in a single company. An ETF bundles many shares in one product. With an ETF your money is automatically spread broadly.
Broker or robo-advisor, which is better for beginners?
Both are good. With a broker you choose yourself and pay a fee per purchase. With a robo-advisor everything runs automatically, but you pay a yearly fee on your whole portfolio.
What does investing cost in Switzerland?
There are the ongoing fees of the ETF (TER), trading fees, a custody fee depending on the provider and stamp duty. Stamp duty is 0.075% for Swiss and 0.15% for foreign securities.
Are capital gains tax-free in Switzerland?
Yes, for private individuals capital gains are tax-free in Switzerland. An exception applies if the tax administration classifies you as a professional trader. Dividends are income, and the portfolio value counts as wealth.
Should I invest in pillar 3a or the brokerage account first?
For many people pillar 3a comes first, because it saves tax immediately. But the money is locked until shortly before retirement. Money you want to access earlier goes into the free brokerage account. Many do both in parallel.
What do I do in a stock market crash?
Stay calm and don’t sell in panic. If your savings plan keeps running, you buy more units at lower prices. What matters is that your emergency fund is in place, then you don’t have to sell anything in a crash.
How safe is my money if the broker goes bankrupt?
Your shares and ETFs are segregated assets. They remain your property and are not part of the bankruptcy estate. Uninvested cash at a Swiss bank is protected by deposit insurance up to CHF 100’000 per person and bank.
From what age can I invest?
You can usually open your own brokerage account from 18. For children, parents can open a children’s account or a youth savings account.
Conclusion: your next step
Investing is easier than it sounds. Keep it simple and low-cost, and stick with it.
Your start in three sentences.
- Build your foundation, meaning an emergency fund and pillar 3a.
- Open a brokerage account and set up a world ETF as a savings plan.
- Let it run and sit out the swings.
If you are new to Switzerland, my money checklist for moving to Switzerland helps you with the first steps. All my English guides for expats are on the English homepage.
Read more
Helga Baechler · Certified wealth advisor IAF
I have been writing about money on liebefinanzen.ch since 2020. I have built a solid core of broadly diversified ETFs and high-dividend shares. How I test providers is explained in how I test and compare (in German).
*Advertising, affiliate links. There are no extra costs for you. This article is not investment advice. All examples are simplified and without guarantee. As of 8 November 2026.