The case

Could Société Générale’s (SocGen) withdrawal from the Swiss private banking business be interpreted as an important indicator of general trends in the industry?

Source: Swiss Press & UBP

The commentary

Over the years the number of foreign banks operating in Switzerland has been decreasing markedly. In 2008, there were 123 foreign banks in the Swiss financial center, but by 2023 this number had nosedived to 64. This reduction is indicative of a wider retreat by foreign institutions from the Swiss private banking market.

Regulatory changes and increased transparency have reduced the appeal of Swiss banks to wealthy individuals seeking privacy for their assets. In addition to this, heirs of affluent individuals who used to deposit their wealth in Switzerland have been repatriating their assets, and most of them, on reaching retirement age, prefer to invest their funds in their home countries for retirement planning and distribute them to their descendants. This trend adds to the reduction of the volume of assets managed by Swiss private banks.

Overall, the sale of Société Générale’s Swiss private banking business to UBP highlights the challenges faced by the Swiss private banking sector and serves as a signal that Switzerland’s position as a preeminent global hub for private banking has been weakening, driven by regulatory changes, shifting client preferences, and strategic realignments by international banking groups.

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