Foreign banks and the international presence

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Basel hosts relatively few foreign banks compared with Zurich and Geneva. Most foreign banks that want to serve Swiss clients or to manage the wealth of international clients in Switzerland establish themselves in Zurich or Geneva, where the market is larger and the infrastructure more developed. Some foreign banks, in particular German banks, have branches or subsidiaries in Basel, which serve the cross-border clientele of the trinational region.

The proximity of Germany and France gives the Basel banks a particular cross-border business. Residents of the German and French border regions hold accounts in Basel, just as Swiss residents hold accounts in German and French banks. Cross-border commuters receive their salaries in Swiss francs and spend them partly in their home countries, while many companies operate on both sides of the border. This cross-border business raises questions of tax, currency, regulation and the provision of financial services across borders, which the European Union's rules on third-country banks complicate. The access of Swiss banks to the European market, which remains limited, is a constant concern of the Swiss financial centre, which Part K examines.

For general information only. This article does not constitute legal or tax advice, does not replace advice on an individual case and creates no lawyer-client relationship. It reflects the legal position as of August 2025.

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Dr Alexander Ressos, TEP

Rechtsanwalt/Attorney-at-Law

I am a Swiss attorney-at-law and also admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong and in England & Wales, with almost 25 years of experience.

Together with my multilingual team, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Ukrainian and French native speakers, I advise companies and their owners from around the world on the full range of banking, corporate, commercial and tax law matters in Switzerland, including international tax planning, fiduciary services, and legal family office services including immigration & relocation or real estate investments. My practice has a particular focus on clients from growth and frontier markets in Greater China, Central Asia and the Caucasus, the rest of Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, and I equally advise clients from Europe and North America. Through an affiliated Swiss trust company, we also take care of the incorporation and ongoing administration of their companies and other structures, including accounting, tax returns and corporate secretarial services, and I serve as a professional director where required. With the support of a network of first-class cooperation partners, I also implement solutions worldwide.

My approach is to act as a trusted advisor who works directly with decision-makers, on an equal footing: I start from what you want to achieve and shape every structure, contract and tax decision around your commercial goals and how it improves your after-tax return. As “lawyers who make it happen”, my team and I stay involved until your company is set up, your structure is in place and your transaction has closed, and we remain available for any follow-on work that may be required. You benefit from bespoke solutions and personal attention, and sound, friendly and practical advice. We are not the lowest-cost provider in the market, nor do we intend to be; our aim is to deliver well-founded, proper solutions and excellent value for money.

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