How do I withdraw money from my account in Switzerland?
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| There are several ways you can withdraw money from your Swiss bank account: | |
Choosing the most suitable method depends on the amount withdrawn, the degree of confidentiality and the convenience desired. | Credit card | | You can use a credit card to access your account from any compatible ATM, 24 hours a day. This method is particularly well-suited to small withdrawals. | Advantages | Drawbacks | - Very handy
- 24-hour access to funds
- Withdrawals from ATMs worldwide
- Can be used in stores and restaurants or for e-shopping
| - Poor confidentiality: when you pay by credit card, you reveal your name and card number. The name of your bank can be easily determined from the card number.
- Costly: there is a 2.5% commission on all ATM withdrawals.
- Daily withdrawal limits
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Cash withdrawals | | You can withdraw money from your account from the bank teller during opening hours. No accounting transaction will be recorded outside of the bank that holds the account. Switzerland places no restrictions on capital outflow. | Advantages | Drawbacks | | - Travel costs
- Risk of being lost or stolen
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Buy traveler's checks | | Traveler's checks can be used instead of cash. You can obtain checks (Bank of America, Thomas Cook, American Express, Swiss Bankers Traveller's Cheque) drawn in various currencies. | Advantages | Drawbacks | - Confidentiality
- Fully refunded if lost or stolen
- Better exchange rate
| - Travel costs
- 1% issuing commission
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| Bank transfers | | You can transfer money from your account to any other account in the world. You can thus make all your payments without having to make an extra trip or mail requests in writing to the bank. | Advantages | Drawbacks | - Quick (one to two days)
- Inexpensive
- Very handy with Internet banking
| - Poor confidentiality: with each transfer, the recipient and receiving bank will know that your accounts exists, in addition to your account number.
To avoid this, the Swiss bank can send the money in its own name without giving the identity of its client. However, many banks outside of Switzerland refuse to accept such transfers.
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| Checks | | Although you can obtain a checkbook, we strongly advise against this method of payment. | Advantages | Drawbacks | | - Seldom used in Swiss banks
- No confidentiality
- Impossible with a numbered account
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