Digital Wealth Management Switzerland
What digital wealth management actually changes in a discretionary mandate, how robo-advisors differ from wealth managers, and what remains the wealth manager's responsibility even with digital access.
Digitalisation is changing how clients check their portfolio, communicate with their personal contact and open a mandate. It does not change who makes the investment decision. This article sets out what digital wealth management delivers today, how robo-advisors differ from a discretionary mandate, and which tasks remain firmly with the wealth manager even with digital access.
Digital wealth management means digital access to a discretionary mandate: portfolio and transactions online, communication across several channels instead of only in person at a branch, paperless onboarding. It does not replace the investment decision itself. Under a discretionary mandate, the wealth manager continues to make decisions within the agreed framework; what changes digitally is access to information and exchange.
The most important points at a glance
- Around 80% of the Swiss population used e-banking in 2023 (source: Federal Statistical Office, latest published survey).
- 28% of respondents now prefer their smartphone over debit card or cash (source: Swiss Payment Monitor 2025, ZHAW/University of St. Gallen).
- Since the Financial Institutions Act (FinIA), in force since 2020, independent wealth managers in Switzerland need FINMA authorisation.
- A robo-advisor rebalances a portfolio according to fixed, rule-based criteria, not through an individual wealth manager’s investment decisions.
- Digital access delivers transparency and speed. The investment decision within a mandate remains the wealth manager’s task.
Wealth management and investment advice: an important distinction
Wealth management and investment advice are often mentioned in the same breath, even though they work differently under Swiss regulation.
- Under investment advice, the advisor provides assessments and recommendations on investment opportunities. The client decides whether and which specific investment to make, and must place the order.
- Under wealth management, the wealth manager makes independent decisions on the financial markets on the client’s behalf and executes them through the corresponding transactions, within the investment strategy previously agreed with the client.
This distinction does not change through digitalisation. What changes is access to information and communication around the mandate.
What does digitalisation change in a discretionary mandate?
Digitalisation changes three things above all: access to portfolio information, the channels for communicating with your personal contact, and the administrative burden of opening and running a mandate. The wealth manager still sets the investment strategy together with the client.
Portfolio overview without going through your personal contact
Checking the state of your own portfolio no longer requires contacting your wealth manager first. Balance, positions and transactions are visible at any time through digital access. This does not replace a conversation before larger decisions, but it shortens the path for simple status questions.
Communication across several channels
Questions about your own financial situation can now be resolved through several channels, from a phone call to email to video calls. Your personal contact stays the same. Digitalisation widens the channels; it does not replace the fixed contact with an anonymous support team.
Paperless onboarding
A mandate can now largely be opened digitally: identification, contract documents and risk profiling run without stacks of paper. This shortens the time to the first investment, but it changes nothing about the regulatory steps themselves, which every mandate goes through regardless of the channel.
Are robo-advisors a form of digital wealth management?
In the narrow sense, yes, though a robo-advisor sets out to be a different kind of product. Despite the name, a robo-advisor is not an advisor: after a questionnaire, it puts together a portfolio according to quantitative, rule-based criteria and rebalances it automatically. This is not artificial intelligence in the strict sense, but algorithmic rebalancing according to predefined rules.
Fees and transaction costs for this type of investing are often around one per cent per year or less. In return, investors get straightforward access to a diversified portfolio, without a personal point of contact. For newcomers to the stock market with a modest amount to invest, that can be a sensible option. Anyone with a more complex financial situation, or who values individual support, is better served by a discretionary mandate.
What remains the wealth manager’s job despite digitalisation?
Individual investment decisions within the agreed strategy, assessing exceptional market events, and personal exchange about the client’s overall financial situation continue to sit with the wealth manager. Digital access delivers transparency and speed, but it does not make a decision in place of the mandate.
Under a discretionary mandate, the wealth manager discusses the starting position, the investment strategy and the time horizon with the client, and adjusts the strategy where needed, for example after a change in personal circumstances. This can be digitalised by making the exchange of information faster and better documented. It cannot be replaced.
What should clients look for in the digital infrastructure?
Three points are worth checking before opening a mandate: digital access to the portfolio and transactions, the availability of a fixed personal contact, and the transparency of the fee structure. Whether a fixed personal contact is provided, or requests go through general support, can be clarified before signing.
Data protection is a key concern here, especially with sensitive financial data. A wealth manager with digital infrastructure makes sure that information is protected in line with regulatory requirements and internal security policies.
Reading tip: Cybersecurity & IT-Security for Swiss Asset Managers
Frequently asked questions about digital wealth management
Does digital wealth management replace your personal contact?
No. Digital access shows portfolio holdings and transactions continuously, but it does not replace an individual investment decision. Under a discretionary mandate, the wealth manager makes decisions within the agreed strategy. Personal support, for example on questions about the structure of your assets or in exceptional situations, stays with your personal contact.
What is the difference between a robo-advisor and a discretionary mandate?
A robo-advisor puts together a portfolio based on a questionnaire, following fixed rules, and rebalances it automatically, without personal contact. A discretionary mandate, as offered by Multi-Family Offices, combines a digital portfolio overview with a fixed personal contact who sets the investment strategy individually with the client and adjusts it on an ongoing basis.
How widespread is digital banking in Switzerland?
According to the Federal Statistical Office, around 80% of the Swiss population used e-banking in 2023. The FSO collects this figure every two years; 2023 is the latest published survey. On mobile payments, the Swiss Payment Monitor 2025 by ZHAW and the University of St. Gallen shows a further increase: 28% of respondents now prefer their smartphone over debit card or cash.
Do independent wealth managers in Switzerland need authorisation?
Yes. Since the Financial Institutions Act (FinIA) came into force in 2020, independent wealth managers in Switzerland need FINMA authorisation and are under ongoing supervision by an authorised supervisory organisation. This applies regardless of whether a mandate is run digitally or on paper, and does not change through digitalisation.
What should clients look for in a wealth manager’s digital infrastructure?
Important points are reliable digital access to the portfolio and transactions, a transparent fee structure, and a reachable personal contact for questions about the investment strategy. Whether a fixed personal contact is provided, or requests go through general support, differs clearly between providers, and can be clarified before signing.
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This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute investment advice or an offer to buy or sell financial instruments. Everon AG is a wealth manager licensed by FINMA under FinIA. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.
