Your Swiss SME Financing Guide
From Banks to Digital Lenders: Navigating Switzerland’s New Financing Reality
The way Swiss businesses find money changed fast between 2023 and 2025. The merger of UBS and Credit Suisse removed a major option for entrepreneurs. Interest rates dropped to 0% by mid-2025. New rules also changed how banks look at risk for tech and green companies.
These changes made things harder for some, but they also created new paths. Traditional banks became stricter. In their place, digital platforms grew. These new lenders offer faster answers and understand modern industries better.
Here you will find information on interest rates, compliance, and industry trends. Whether you are a startup in Zurich or a manufacturer in Valais, this guide helps you find the right path.
Why Swiss Lending Changed (2023-2025)
Three huge shifts reshaped the market. First, the UBS and Credit Suisse merger left a gap. Credit Suisse was known as the bank for entrepreneurs. When it was acquired, loan volumes for small businesses dropped significantly. Many companies lost vital credit lines.
Second, borrowing costs hit historic lows. The Swiss National Bank (SNB) cut rates to 0% by 2025. This made loans cheaper. Alternative platforms now offer rates between 4.9% and 9.9%. The strongest companies satisfy criteria for rates as low as 0.8% to 1.5%.
Third, new rules changed the playing field. FINMA issued strict guidance on artificial intelligence in late 2024. If you sell software to banks, you must now prove your AI is safe. Banks also need to manage climate risk, which favors green companies.
Your Financing Options Explained
You have four main paths to capital today:
- Traditional Banks: Good for companies with real estate. Rates are low, but approval can take four months.
- Alternative Platforms: These connect you directly with investors. They are fast and look at your cash flow, not just buildings.
- Green Loans: Special funds for environmental projects like solar panels. They often have better terms.
- Government Support: Programs aimed at providing loan guarantees to help banks say yes.
The Digital Advantage: Speed and Access
Digital platforms solve the biggest problems of traditional banking: speed and geography.
Old banks can take months to say yes. Digital lenders often decide in two weeks. They also fix the location problem. In the past, companies in big cities had an advantage. Now, a business in a rural village can access the same capital as a firm in Geneva. The process is entirely online.
Industry-Specific Funding and Green Loans
General banks often struggle to value modern assets. They like buildings. They do not always understand the value of a software patent or a clinical trial.
CleanTech and AgriTech companies face unique needs. They often need money for equipment before they have sales. Green loans help here. If you can prove your business helps the environment, you become a lower-risk borrower.
BioTech and AI companies also need special care. Their value is in their intellectual property. Specialized platforms understand these timelines better than general bank managers do.
What Lenders Need From You
To get approved by any lender, you need to prepare five things.
- Financials: Two years of clean books and steady revenue.
- Plan: A specific list of what you will buy with the money.
- Repayment: A clear explanation of where the cash will come from to pay the loan back.
- Traction: Proof that customers are buying your product.
- Compliance: Documents showing you follow all FINMA and industry rules.
Conclusion: The Smart Path Forward
The CapiWell method
Swiss business financing has changed fast since 2023. The Credit Suisse – UBS merger reduced access to traditional SME loans, interest rates fell to historic lows and new FINMA rules increased the focus on compliance, AI safety, and sustainability. As a result, relying on a single bank is no longer enough for many SMEs.
Today, peer-to-peer SME lending means choice and flexibility. Businesses can combine traditional bank loans with digital lending platforms, green financing, and government-backed guarantees. We move faster, focus on cash flow instead of real estate, and give SMEs across Switzerland equal access to capital, whether they are in Zurich, Geneva or ain a countryside.
We use a modern and diversified financing approach built for today’s Swiss market. By blending multiple funding sources and focusing on strong, compliant SMEs, we support sustainable growth while managing risk and creating attractive opportunities in a low-interest environment.
Borrow Funds
for your SME
with CapiWell
Who Uses CapiWell?
Our platform attracts both individuals and institutional investors, including family offices, property funds, professional investors, and private individuals seeking stable yield. These investors value our transparent due diligence, structured reporting, digital monitoring, and co-ownership model, which allows them to participate directly in Swiss real estate without managing day-to-day administration.
Join the Movement
Investing in real estate shares with CapiWell is more than a financial decision – it’s a chance to build stable, long-term wealth through a proven asset class. With our multi-asset platform, you can diversify across property, startups, lending, and academic spin-offs, while maintaining clear visibility and control over your portfolio.
Foundation For Growth: SME Lending
References (APA)
- Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU), “Crowdfunding Monitor Switzerland” (2024)
- SECO (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs), “SME Access to Finance Survey” (2024)
- Swiss National Bank, “Monetary Policy Assessment” (December 12, 2024)
- Swiss National Bank, “Monetary Policy Assessment” (March 20, 2025)
- Swiss National Bank, “Monetary Policy Assessment” (June 19, 2025)
- PwC Switzerland, “Updated safe harbour interest rates for 2025”
- GGBA Swiss, “Swiss start-ups secure CHF 2.4 billion in 2024”
- Fintechnews CH, “Swiss VC Funding Surges, Driven by Biotech, ICT and Fintech”
- EY Switzerland, “Startup Barometer Switzerland 2025”
- FINMA, “Guidance 08/2024: Governance and Risk Management when using Artificial Intelligence (AI)” (December 2024)
- FINMA, “FINMA publishes new ‘Nature-related financial risks’ circular” (December 2024)
- Swiss Marketplace Lending Association, “CHF 21.4 Billion New Loans in 2024”
- Startupticker/SECA, “Swiss Investor Survey” (2025)
- SECO (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs), “Guarantee cooperatives for SMEs”
- Technology Fund Switzerland, “Program Overview”
- Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, “ESG preferences study” (2025)
