Switzerland is one of Europe’s most remittance-active economies on a per-capita basis. With foreign nationals making up roughly 26% of the population, billions of Swiss francs flow out of Switzerland every year to Italy, Germany, Portugal, France, Spain, Kosovo, Serbia, North Macedonia, Turkey, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Eritrea and Brazil. The remittance network is anchored by post offices, the SIX banking infrastructure, and licensed payment institutions across Zürich, Geneva, Basel, Lausanne, Bern, Winterthur, Lucerne, St. Gallen, Lugano and Biel/Bienne. Switzerland’s remittance and payment sector is supervised by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA), with all money transmitters required to either hold a banking licence or be affiliated with a recognised self-regulatory organisation (SRO) under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA).
Money Transfer Locations
Western Union
Western Union operates through licensed Swiss agents including Coop, MoneyHouse, Travelex, currency-exchange counters at major rail stations (SBB), and independent agent partners across all 26 cantons.
- Western Union Zürich
- Western Union Geneva
- Western Union Basel
- Western Union Lausanne
- Western Union Bern
- Western Union Winterthur
- Western Union Lucerne
- Western Union St. Gallen
- Western Union Lugano
- Western Union Biel/Bienne
- Western Union Thun
- Western Union Fribourg
MoneyGram
MoneyGram is available through licensed Swiss partners and bureau-de-change outlets in major cities and railway stations.
- MoneyGram Zürich
- MoneyGram Geneva
- MoneyGram Basel
- MoneyGram Lausanne
- MoneyGram Bern
- MoneyGram Lugano
Ria Money Transfer
- Ria Zürich
- Ria Geneva
- Ria Basel
- Ria Lausanne
- Ria Bern
PostFinance / Swiss Post
PostFinance, the financial-services arm of Swiss Post, operates over 800 post offices nationwide offering international SWIFT and SEPA payments. PostFinance is one of the most accessible cash-deposit channels for foreign workers without a Swiss bank account.
Digital Money Transfer Providers
Switzerland is a major adopter of digital remittance apps, particularly for European, Balkan, Asian and African corridors:
- Wise — Mid-market exchange rates with transparent low fees, supports CHF-funded transfers to 80+ currencies
- Revolut — Multi-currency accounts with low-cost international transfers
- Remitly — Express and Economy options to 170+ countries
- WorldRemit — Cash pickup, bank deposit, mobile money and airtime top-ups
- Xoom (a PayPal service) — Bank deposit and cash pickup in 160+ countries
- TWINT — Switzerland’s dominant mobile-payment app; integrates with banks for domestic and select cross-border transfers
Major Bank & Financial Partners
Swiss banks handle the bulk of SWIFT and SEPA wires, with strong reach across EU and global corridors:
- UBS
- Raiffeisen Schweiz
- Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB)
- PostFinance
- Banque Cantonale Vaudoise (BCV)
- Banque Cantonale de Genève (BCGE)
- Migros Bank
- Julius Baer
Regulator
All money transfer providers and payment institutions operating in Switzerland are supervised by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA). Providers must either hold a banking, fintech or securities-firm licence or be affiliated with a FINMA-recognised self-regulatory organisation (SRO) under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA). Always verify a provider’s FINMA authorisation or SRO membership at finma.ch before sending funds.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can migrant workers in Switzerland send money to their home country?
Foreign workers and residents in Switzerland — whether from Italy, Portugal, Kosovo, Serbia, Turkey, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Eritrea, Brazil or elsewhere — can send money home through FINMA-supervised providers including Wise, Revolut, Remitly, WorldRemit, Western Union, MoneyGram and Ria. Swiss Post and PostFinance offer international SWIFT and SEPA payments at over 800 post offices nationwide. Major Swiss banks (UBS, Raiffeisen, ZKB, PostFinance) handle wire transfers to virtually every country in the world.
How long does an international money transfer from Switzerland take?
SEPA payments from Switzerland to other European countries usually settle the same business day or within 1 business day. Cash pickup transfers via Western Union, MoneyGram or Ria arrive within minutes in most corridors. Bank deposits via Wise or Remitly typically post within 1–2 business days, while SWIFT wires take 2–4 business days. Swiss federal holidays and Sunday closures (banks closed) can add a banking day.
What ID is required to send money from Switzerland?
Senders in Switzerland must present a valid Swiss residence permit (B, C, L, G or Ci), Swiss ID card, EU/EFTA ID card, or foreign passport. Under Swiss AML rules, transfers above CHF 1,000 in a single transaction trigger full KYC identification, and amounts above CHF 15,000 trigger enhanced due diligence including proof of source of funds. Recipients abroad must present ID matching the name on the transfer, the sender’s full name and country, the amount, and the MTCN or reference number.
Which providers offer the best exchange rate from Switzerland?
Wise consistently posts the mid-market CHF exchange rate with transparent low fees. Revolut offers competitive rates for bank-funded and card-funded transfers. Remitly and WorldRemit run aggressive promotional rates for first-time senders to Asia, Africa and Latin America. Western Union and MoneyGram trade exchange-rate margin for wider in-person agent coverage. Compare the all-in cost (fee + FX margin) for your specific corridor on the same day before sending — savings of 2–5% are common.
How are Swiss money transfer providers regulated?
All money transfer providers in Switzerland are supervised by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA). Providers must hold a FINMA licence (banking, fintech, securities firm or DLT trading) or be affiliated with a recognised self-regulatory organisation (SRO). FINMA enforces strict customer-due-diligence, source-of-funds and record-keeping rules. Always confirm a provider’s FINMA authorisation at finma.ch before sending funds, especially when using a new or smaller operator.