Swiss bank has the strictest confidentiality and safety compared to other banks. Many banks have a history of up to 60 years. It is tax free for non residents but from July 2005 onwards there is a withholding tax on interest for clients who live in EU. There is a withholding tax also if you are holding the account in Swiss franc accounts .You can earn interest in any currency and the interest depends on the currency of your account. You will get an international credit card; you can bank online, and have investment options as well. You can open the account through correspondence by providing necessary documents or just fly in to Switzerland and open a bank account or just pay someone who will open an account for you for a fee. For non Swiss franc accounts the banker puts money in a money market fund which will cost below 1% and you can get interest for that. Minimum amount for that is $200.The interest varies depending on the time.You can also invest in US securities. For investing tin US securities the bank should have QI status.15% tax on interest bearing investments is levied for the residents of the EU and this tax will rise to 35% in 2001.EU citizens living abroad are not liable for this tax. If you report the Swiss bank accounts on their tax returns you can get the tax back. You can invest your money from your Swiss bank account to investment funds, bonds, stock market, purchase metal values, raw materials, derivatives etc.These banks also acts as securities brokerage, investment counseling and portfolio management. Many Swiss banks don’t have annual fees and closing an account doesn’t incur financial penalty. The account has strictest Privacy and is numbered and not identified by your name. Identity of the account holder is known only by bank manager and a few select people. . All other bank staff only sees a number.

Banking can be conducted through telephone, correspondence, telephone, internet, bank transfer and credit cards. The account holders are mainly consultants, expatriates, business men, computer programmers and also who wish to protect their estate from tax during inheritance and from handing over during divorce.

There is not minimum deposit to open the account. You need to be at least 18 years old to open a a bank account. Swiss banks have a private deposit insurance whish agrees to compensate depositors for up to Sfr.30'000 of their deposits in a bank if that bank goes bankrupt. They are regulated by the Swiss Federal Banking commission, the federal watchdog.

World’s 35% of the offshore holdings are managed by Swiss banks. You have to explain the economic origin of the money sometimes that is how the money became yours. The secrecy of the bank accounts is due to a law passed by the Swiss authorities that it is illegal for any bank to disclose information about any account even about its existence. The Swiss laws do not consider tax evasion as criminal offence. The Swiss banks do not release the identity of the account unless the foreign government proves that the account holder has committed a crime.

There are four types of account you can open. The Swiss Postal Account – This is by the swiss postal servie and requires not minmum balace but has minimal fees. It so not have a checkbook. 2. The Standard Account This is a standard account and has phone banking online trading, investment option sna dcheckbook.It has small annural fees and the minimum balance required is around us$ 4000. 3. The Investment Fund Account This is an account for investing in the markets.you should have a minimum blance of $5000.4. The Swiss Numbered Account This has a minimum balance of us$100,000 and the account is numbered and no one knows your identity except a select few.Depending on the banks you are dealing the conditions are different . Swiss banks have been here for a long time and they have a long tradition and are well versed in banking you can rely on it much more than the rest of the banks in the world.