Financial Centre Zurich

Zurich is Switzerland’s most important financial centre. As reported by the Global Financial Centres Index, the city ranks second in Europe in terms of importance right after London. Zurich is the location of SIX Swiss Exchange, the largest stock exchange in Switzerland, which explains why approximately one third of all 260 Swiss banks are headquartered there. A further 120 major banks have at least one branch in the region. These include the Swiss National Bank, the Credit Suisse AG, and the UBS Switzerland AG. The density of financial institutions contributes to the fact that the economic area is also extremely interesting for other financial companies, which is why approximately 850 financial service providers are now based in Zurich.

The two largest asset managers in Zurich, UBS Asset Management and Credit Suisse, together manage assets of around EUR 1 trillion. In addition, other asset managers such as GPA Portfolio Management, Mont-Blanc Investment Management and ZAM Asset Management have also settled in Zurich. At the same time, Zurich is one of the most important locations for insurers with the head offices or branches of one third of all Swiss insurance companies, such as the Zurich Insurance Group AG. Especially reinsurers cluster in the city, which led to the development of a European hub in the reinsuring field.

Thanks to short distances and the world’s densest local transport system, Zurich is optimally connected. With the Zurich International Airport only a few kilometres from Zurich’s city centre one can reach it by train or car in about half an hour. In addition, the city is considered to be one of the world’s most liveable and safest metropolises with a wide range of cultural and gastronomic offerings.