Guide

Saving & Investing

Investing refers to deliberately putting capital into assets such as equities, bonds, funds, or real estate with the aim of building wealth over time. At its centre are an investment strategy that matches your personal investment horizon and risk capacity, and diversification across several asset classes. Every investment carries both opportunities and risks, and the value of investments is subject to market fluctuations.

The essentials

Diversification spreads capital across different securities, asset classes, sectors, and regions. It can cushion the risk of individual positions but does not eliminate losses, since investments are subject to market fluctuations.

An ETF (exchange-traded fund) usually tracks an index and trades on the stock exchange like a share; in Switzerland, the SIX Swiss Exchange is the primary trading venue. Actively managed funds, by contrast, aim to deviate from a benchmark through security selection and generally carry higher costs.

You can invest in Swiss real estate directly through residential or income properties, or indirectly through regulated real estate funds and property shares; many of these collective investment schemes fall under the Collective Investment Schemes Act (CISA) and trade on SIX.

Before discretionary wealth management, a FINMA-regulated wealth manager establishes a risk profile combining risk capacity and risk appetite (art. 11 f. Financial Services Act, FinSA). It forms the basis of the investment strategy. Past performance is not an indicator of future returns.

Sources: FINMA · fedlex · SBA

Frequently asked questions about Saving & Investing

01 What does diversification mean and why does it matter?

Diversification means spreading capital across different securities, asset classes, sectors, and regions rather than putting everything into one position. If one area performs poorly, others may partly offset it. Diversification can reduce risk, but it does not guarantee a profit and does not protect against losses, since all investments are subject to market fluctuations.

02 What is the difference between active and passive funds?

A passive fund, such as an ETF, tracks an index and aims to match its performance, usually at low cost. An actively managed fund tries to deviate from a benchmark through a fund manager's security selection and is generally more expensive. Which approach fits depends on your objectives, costs, and investment horizon. Past performance is not an indicator of future returns.

03 How can I invest in Swiss real estate?

You can invest directly by buying residential or income properties, or indirectly through real estate funds and property shares. Indirect investments are often accessible from smaller amounts and tradable on the stock exchange, while direct investments require more capital and management effort. Both routes are subject to market fluctuations and risks.

04 How do I find the right investment strategy?

An investment strategy is based on your investment horizon, financial goals, and personal risk capacity and risk appetite. These determine how capital is allocated across asset classes. For wealth management, a FINMA-regulated wealth manager establishes a risk profile for this purpose. The information presented here is general in nature and does not constitute investment advice.