B-04-19 FINMA Guidance 05/2020

On 25 November, Switzerland entered the era of Open Banking with the launch of the ‘bLink’ platform operated by SIX. This development places Switzerland within an international movement that aims to promote the sharing of financial data via standardised interfaces, in order to offer customers greater access to innovative services offered by a variety of financial service providers. Open Banking is defined as a standardised model for sharing financial data, which aims to facilitate the exchange of information between financial[...]

In its ruling ACJC/805/2025 of June 16, 2025, the Court of Justice of the Canton of Geneva ruled on an action for rectification of personal data brought in a banking context. This ruling, which to our knowledge is one of the first published court decisions on such an action in the banking sector, raises questions regarding the application of the revised Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP) in relation to the designation of a beneficial owner. The ruling, which is[...]

In its decision of 29 January 2025, published on 1 July 2025, the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (PFPDT) issued a warning to a Swiss bank for repeated violations of the provisions of the Data Protection Act (DPA) relating to the right of access. This decision sets clear standards: strict compliance with the 30-day deadline for responding to the data subject and the obligation to provide personal data ‘as such’. This decision follows two complaints filed by customers who[...]

When the bank makes a margin call, the client may have very little time to react and provide new funds. In its ruling 4A_389/2024 of May 8, 2025, the Federal Supreme Court reiterated its strict case law on Lombard loans, particularly with regard to clients with extensive financial knowledge and experience. In early April 2019, a client entered into a relationship with a bank. During the account opening process, the client stated that he was an investment expert, had a[...]