Central Swiss prefer cantonal banks: Why UBS and CS have a difficult time with mortgages

A comparison of recent years shows that the cantonal banks in Central Switzerland were able to increase their mortgage business at the expense of the big banks. In the future, digital platforms will play a stronger role.

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Low interest rates, few taxes, great security: the Swiss like to get into debt in return for realizing their dream of owning a home. The Swiss mortgage market is worth around CHF 1,100 billion, making it one of the largest in the world. Mortgage lending is a central pillar of their business model, especially for so-called retail banks. Retail banks are financial institutions that primarily offer standard products such as mortgages or account management for private customers.