Best USD accounts in Switzerland

Whether you’re a US citizen living in Switzerland, or a Swiss citizen or resident traveling to the US frequently, a USD account can be a handy tool to make cross currency transactions cheap, quick and convenient.

Local Swiss banks and major global banks offer USD accounts to Swiss residents – but there are also ways to open a USD account in Switzerland with specialist services that can be more flexible. You could choose to open a multi-currency account covering CHF and USD from a provider like Wise, for example. This guide covers all you need to know to help you choose the best USD currency account for you.

What is a USD currency account?

A USD currency account is an account which lets you hold US dollars. 

You might also be able to hold and exchange other currencies in your account if you choose a USD account with multi-currency features. Other common features include linked debit cards, international transfer services and ways to get paid in USD from others. 

What can you do with a USD account in Switzerland?

If you’re a US citizen living in Switzerland for work or study, or a Swiss citizen who travels to the US a lot for business or leisure, a USD account can be a useful tool.

Different USD accounts have their own features – but these are some of the more common uses for a US dollar account:

• Hold and convert a USD balance: Hold a balance in USD without needing to convert to CHF if you don’t want to. This allows you to save in USD to pay bills or for planned travel, while cutting out unnecessary conversion costs.
• Receive payments in USD: Get paid by others in USD, often with local account details, allowing the sender to make a local payment which is fast, cheap and convenient for them.
• Send payments in USD: If you’re paying bills in the US, a USD account lets you process cross border transfers in a few taps, with options for regular or recurring payments for bill payments, mortgages and other ongoing commitments.
• Spend and withdraw USD: If you need to spend and withdraw, accounts from providers like Wise, and global banks like UBS, offer a debit card for convenient and low cost USD transactions in person and online.

Types of USD accounts

You’ll find USD account products available from major global banks like UBS. Swiss banks like PostFinance also offer USD accounts, but these may be somewhat limited as they don’t offer a linked debit card. However you can send USD payments conveniently.

Alternatively, there are low cost USD accounts which allow customers to hold, exchange and manage other currencies all in one account, usually from specialist providers. Here are the core options typically available, with a quick introduction to the providers we feature in this guide:

Multi currency accounts: Multi currency accounts are commonly available from digital providers. You can hold USD alongside many other currencies in a multi currency account which can be a convenient option for people living international lifestyles.

• Wise Account: Hold 40+ currencies, and get local account details for receiving 8+ currencies including USD, and SWIFT details for receiving 20+ currencies easily. 
• Revolut Account: Hold 25+ currencies and spend easily at home and abroad with your linked debit card.

Foreign currency accounts: Foreign currency accounts support only 1 currency, and let you hold and send payments in a foreign currency. In Switzerland you may find that these accounts are offered through global and local banks.

• UBS USD Account – USD account through UBS which offers instant access to your USD funds whenever you need them – 5 CHF monthly fee
• PostFinance USD Account: Hold USD and send dollar transfers conveniently. There’s a 5 CHF monthly fee, and higher costs if you’re not a Swiss resident.

Best USD currency accounts in Switzerland

There’s not really one best USD currency account in Switzerland, as different products have their own features to suit different customer needs. 

You might prefer multi-currency account and card services from providers like Wise if you want to hold USD with CHF and other currencies in one account, and spend with your debit card locally and overseas. These services are digital only and do not have a branch network which can be a drawback if you need to deposit cash or checks.

There are also personal USD accounts from banks like UBS and PostFinance. 

Here we’ve selected some different providers and banks offering USD accounts in Switzerland for personal and business use, looking at convenience, cost and customer intention. 

Read on to learn more about each and how their USD account in Switzerland works.

💡 At a glance
Wise Account	Hold and exchange USD and 40+ other currencies, spend with a Wise card in 150+ countries, send and receive payments globally in USD, EUR and more.
Revolut Account	USD bank account with a debit card, supporting 25+ currencies for holding and withdrawal. Supports international payments globally.
UBS USD Account	Current account in USD, which is a complement to the UBS custody account, and gives you instant access to your foreign funds whenever you need it.
PostFinance USD Account	Open a USD account in addition to your existing banking package, allowing you to manage your money across different currencies all with the same bank.

*Details correct at time of research – 25th September 2025

Wise USD Account

Open a Wise Account online or in the Wise app, for personal or business use, and hold USD alongside CHF and 40+ other currencies all in the same account. You can exchange between currencies in the app with the mid-market rate and low, transparent fees, order an optional debit card for spending and cash withdrawals, and send and receive payments globally in USD and many other currencies. 

Accounts offer local and SWIFT details to receive payments, with no fee to receive USD (non wire, non SWIFT payments ) to your Wise account. There’s a small Wise fee to receive USD wires and SWIFT payments.

• Hold and exchange USD and 40+ other currencies
• Mid-market currency exchange with low, transparent fees
• Use your Wise card in 150+ countries for spending and cash withdrawals

Account opening fee: No opening fee for personal customers. Business customers pay 55 CHF for full feature access. No minimum balance

Eligibility criteria: Available to residents of Switzerland and many other countries and regions globally

Supported currencies: 40+ currencies, including CHF and USD.

Monthly fees: None

Exchange rates: Mid-market exchange rates

Revolut Account 

You can open a Revolut Bank Account as a personal customer in Switzerland, with an additional 4 plan options for business customers. As a personal customer the Revolut account has no monthly fee to pay and offers 30+ supported currencies and options to make convenient payments.

Revolut accounts have linked debit cards for payments and withdrawals, and extra options include accounts for children which can help younger family members learn about money management.

• Hold and exchange many currencies in the same account
• Send international payments directly from your account
• Personal and business services offered

Account opening fee: No opening fee, no minimum balance

Eligibility criteria: Available to residents of Switzerland and many other countries and regions globally

Supported currencies: USD, CHF and 30+ other currencies 

Monthly fees: No listed fee for personal customers, business customers 10 CHF – 120 CHF/month

Exchange rates: Currency exchange uses the Revolut rate to plan limits. After this fair usage fees of up to 1% may apply depending on plan. 

UBS USD Account

You can open the UBS USD Current Account to hold USD, send payments, and spend with a debit card. This account is intended as a complement to your custody account, and lets you hold your balance with easy access to the full amount whenever you need it. You may be able to manage your application online depending on your personal circumstances, and subject to meeting eligibility requirements. 

• Full digital banking service and linked debit card
• Low transaction fees and a 5 CHF monthly operating fee
• Available for some types of business customer as well as private clients

Account opening fee: None 

Eligibility criteria: Swiss residents over 18 – you may need a UBS custody account before you can open your USD account

Supported currencies: USD

Monthly fees: 5 CHF/month

Exchange rates: Exchange rates are likely to include a markup

PostFinance USD Account

PostFinance offers a USD Account for Swiss residents who want to be able to make USD payments conveniently. This account may be available for you as part of the Smart banking package or the SmartPlus banking package used for CHF money management.

This account has a monthly fee of 5 CHF for Swiss residents. Bear in mind that currency conversion costs, and other fees from PostFinance and third parties – such as international transfer fees – may also apply.

• Hold and exchange USD
• Offered as part of the Smart banking package or the SmartPlus banking package
• Mobile banking which makes it easy to keep on top of your transactions 

Account opening fee: None 

Eligibility criteria: Swiss residents with the Smart banking package or the SmartPlus banking package

Supported currencies: USD

Monthly fees: 5 CHF/month or 25 CHF for non resident applicants

Exchange rates: Exchange rates are likely to include a markup

Fees for USD accounts in Switzerland

You can often find a USD bank account in Switzerland with no ongoing fees to pay, but there are usually some transaction fees to think about. Check your account fee schedule to make sure you understand the costs of your account before you transact. 

Here are some fees to look out for:

• Monthly maintenance fee: Some USD accounts might have a monthly fee. Not all accounts use this sort of ongoing charge – for a low cost alternative check out providers like Wise which don’t charge a maintenance fee.
• ATM withdrawal fees: If your USD account has a debit card, check if ATM fees apply. Costs can be either a flat charge or a percentage of the withdrawal – and often taking money out overseas is far more expensive than in Switzerland. Providers like Wise offer some no fee ATM use each month to help you lower your transaction costs.
• Foreign transaction fees: A foreign transaction fee can push up the costs of purchases in a currency you don’t have in your account by about 3%. This fee doesn’t usually apply on accounts like the Wise Account, which allow you to spend currencies you hold with no fees, and convert with low charges where needed.
• International transfer fees: Your bank might waive transfer fees from a foreign currency account but that doesn’t mean you pay nothing, as the exchange rate used might include a markup – a fee that’s not so easy to spot. Typically providers like Wise and Revolut can offer more competitive rates than many banks.

How to open a USD account in Switzerland

The most convenient way to open a USD bank account in Switzerland is online. 

Before you sign up to any USD account read through the eligibility criteria and application process. While this does vary a bit, it’s usually pretty similar across different banks and providers, including providing your proof of ID and a proof of address document for verification.

Here’s an outline of the USD account opening process:

With banks: For accounts from the international services of major banks, you can sometimes find an online application option, but you’ll need to upload all your documents and complete a comprehensive application form to get signed up. In some cases you need to arrange an appointment with the bank to talk through your options and confirm your eligibility before you can open an account.

With online providers: Specialist providers like Wise don’t have branch locations so you’ll complete your account application, verification and onboarding all digitally. You’re guided through the process by onscreen prompts and you’ll need to take a snap of your ID and address documents with your phone to get verified.

How to use your USD account in Switzerland

Finally let’s look at how using a US dollar account can help you manage your US dollar payments and transactions with lower fees and less time spent navigating administration. 

• Send international money transfers: Send payments to the US and many other countries with just your phone, often with great exchange rates and low fees. Providers like Wise use their own payment network to make sure you get a super fast transfer time, too.
• Hold and exchange USD and CHF: Keep USD and CHF all in one account to make it easier to budget and plan across different currencies. Multi-currency accounts can also let you manage different currencies for things like saving for travel or to send a payment, too.
• Receive USD payments: Use your USD account to receive USD easily with local or SWIFT account information that the sender can use to initiate your transfer without needing to convert it to CHF .
• Use your debit card for spending and withdrawals: Use your USD debit card to spend and withdraw with low costs and no foreign transaction fees in many cases. Choose a provider like Wise and it’s free to spend a currency you hold sufficient balance in, and cheap to convert to any currency you might need to cover a purchase.

Conclusion

There are several different ways to open USD accounts in Switzerland, depending on how you need to transact. 

You could pick a USD account from a bank like UBS  if you’re looking to hold and save USD to diversify your investments, and need personal wealth advice. Local banks like PostFinance also offer ways to hold USD which can be handy for incoming and outgoing USD payments.

Or, as a more flexible alternative with broad multi-currency features you might prefer Wise which lets you hold USD along with CHF and 40+ other currencies. Use your account to send, spend, hold and receive USD for day to day payments, travel and bills, with low costs and great exchange rates.

Useful resources:

Wise – Wise account plan information 

Revolut Bank Account – Revolut personal bank account information and feature descriptions

Revolut Business Pricing Plans – Revolut business pricing plans and feature descriptions

UBS Current Account – UBS current account landing page, detailing features and fees

PostFinance USD Account – PostFinance foreign currency account landing page, detailing features and fees