Europe

Payment methods in Switzerland

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Updated

October 27, 2026

Ludovic Plisson

Chief Brand Officer

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How people pay in Switzerland in 2026

Switzerland has moved from a cash country to a phone and card country in a few years, while keeping a strong attachment to banknotes. In the Swiss Payment Monitor of May 2026, run by ZHAW and the University of St. Gallen, mobile devices handled 34.5% of all transactions, ahead of cash (23.2%), physical debit cards (22.5%) and physical credit cards (14.5%). The Swiss National Bank's 2025 payment methods survey still ranks the debit card first at the point of sale, followed by cash and payment apps.

The local champion is TWINT, the bank-owned payment app, which processed 901 million transactions in 2025 and is accepted by about 81% of physical stores and 86% of online shops. Online, the Swiss also like to pay after delivery: purchase on invoice covered 15.7% of online transactions and 34.6% of their value in May 2026. Bills are paid with QR-bills and eBill, and instant payments in Swiss francs are spreading across banks. For merchants and payment providers, a Swiss checkout without TWINT, debit cards and an invoice option leaves money on the table. For the neighboring market, read our guide to payment methods in Germany.

34.5% share of transactions paid with mobile devices, May 2026 (Swiss Payment Monitor)
901 million TWINT transactions in 2025 (TWINT)
93 million eBill transactions in 2025 (SIX)
89% of residents carry cash in their wallets, 2025 (Swiss National Bank)

Payment by card in Switzerland

Cards are the backbone of Swiss in-store payments. Counting cards stored in mobile wallets, debit cards made 33.2% of in-person transactions and credit cards 23.1% in May 2026, according to the Swiss Payment Monitor. The SNB survey, quoted by Swissinfo, gives debit cards a 37% share of all payments in 2025, the highest of any method.

The Swiss debit card has changed brand. Banks replaced Maestro and V PAY with Debit Mastercard and Visa Debit cards, which work online as well as in stores, as tracked by moneyland.ch. PostFinance moved its own PostFinance Card to a combined Debit Mastercard between 2022 and 2023. Credit cards, from issuers such as Cembra with about 1 million cards, are popular for higher tickets: physical credit cards carry 25.0% of payment value for only 14.5% of transactions. For merchants, card costs depend on scheme and issuer fees, so understanding interchange fees and how card networks work pays off.

Card schemes in Switzerland

Debit Mastercard and Visa Debit

Debit card

The standard Swiss bank debit cards since banks retired Maestro and V PAY, usable at terminals, online and in mobile wallets, with Visa Debit and Debit Mastercard split by bank as listed by moneyland.ch.

33.2% share of in-person transactions paid by debit card, including mobile wallets, May 2026, Swiss Payment Monitor

PostFinance Card

Domestic debit card

PostFinance's own debit card, combined with Debit Mastercard since 2022, so it works both on the domestic PostFinance network and wherever Mastercard is accepted. Online, it is being replaced by PostFinance Pay.

2.39 million PostFinance customers at the end of 2025, PostFinance annual report

Visa

International scheme

One of the two global schemes behind Swiss credit cards and a large share of new bank debit cards, accepted at almost every terminal and online shop.

Mastercard

International scheme

The other main scheme in Switzerland, used for credit cards from issuers such as Cembra and for Debit Mastercard cards from banks and PostFinance.

23.1% share of in-person transactions paid by credit card, including mobile wallets, May 2026, Swiss Payment Monitor

Payment by cash in Switzerland

Cash is losing ground but keeps a solid place. In May 2026 it accounted for 23.2% of all transactions and 27.1% of in-store payments, according to the Swiss Payment Monitor. The SNB survey puts cash at 30% of payments in 2025, as reported by Swissinfo, and its report notes that 89% of residents carry cash and only 2% favor abolishing it. Support for cash is even growing: 79.2% of Swiss Payment Monitor respondents oppose its elimination, a record high.

Access is the weak spot. Satisfaction with cash withdrawal options fell from 88% in 2024 to 81% in 2025, which the SNB links to the reduction of ATMs and other withdrawal points. Online, cash plays a minor role. Shoppers who avoid cards tend to pay by invoice or bank transfer, and paper bills can still be paid over the counter at post offices. For how other markets are moving away from cash, read our case studies on the transition from cash to digital.

Cash payment methods in Switzerland

Cash

Banknotes and coins

Swiss franc banknotes and coins remain widely used in shops, restaurants and between people, especially by older and lower-income consumers.

27.1% share of in-store transactions paid in cash, May 2026, Swiss Payment Monitor

Cash payment of QR-bills at the post office

Cash bill payment

Consumers without e-banking can pay a QR-bill over the counter at a Swiss Post branch or partner branch, traditionally in cash, as SIX explains. Counter payments are declining, and PostFinance reports falling income from them in its 2025 annual report.

Payment by bank transfer in Switzerland

Account-to-account payments in Switzerland are mostly about bills. Since the old orange and red slips were withdrawn on September 30, 2022, every paper invoice carries a QR-bill that customers scan in their banking app. Digital invoicing goes further with eBill, which passed 4 million registered users in June 2026 and handled about 93 million transactions in 2025. eBill Direct Debit, launched in summer 2025, will replace the LSV+ and BDD direct debit schemes, which end on September 30, 2028. The interbank SIC system cleared 1,029 million transactions in 2025.

Instant payments in Swiss francs are the next step. Since August 2024, the largest banks must be able to receive them, and the remaining banks must follow from the end of 2026. The SNB found that one-quarter of residents had already used an instant payment in 2025. In e-commerce, PostFinance Pay replaces PostFinance's card and e-finance methods with an app approval, and almost 70% of Swiss online shops still offer prepayment by transfer, according to the FHNW survey cited by Worldline. Read more in our guide to account-to-account payments. Our real-time payments explorer compares instant payment systems country by country.

Bank transfer methods in Switzerland

QR-bill

Bill payment standard

The Swiss payment slip with a QR code, in use since June 30, 2020, paid through mobile banking, e-banking or at a post office. New guidelines with structured addresses apply since November 22, 2025.

eBill

E-invoicing and direct debit

The banks' e-invoicing network run by SIX: bills arrive in e-banking and are approved in one click. Over 110 financial institutions take part, and eBill Direct Debit replaces LSV+ and BDD by 2028.

93 million eBill transactions in 2025, 4 million users in June 2026, SIX

Instant payments (SIC IP)

Instant payment

Account-to-account transfers in Swiss francs settled in less than ten seconds, 24/7, through SIX's SIC system. Institutions covering more than 95% of Swiss customer payments can receive them.

1 in 4 residents had used an instant payment at least once in 2025, Swiss National Bank

PostFinance Pay

Pay by bank app

PostFinance's online payment method, approved in the PostFinance App with no card details. It replaces the PostFinance Card and E-Finance methods and is being rolled out to online shops until the end of 2026.

2.39 million PostFinance customers at the end of 2025, PostFinance annual report

Bank transfer and prepayment

Bank transfer

Classic prepayment by bank transfer remains a standard option at Swiss online shops, used by shoppers who avoid cards and credit checks.

68.3% of Swiss online merchants offer prepayment as a standard method, 2025 FHNW survey, Worldline

Payment by installment and BNPL in Switzerland

Switzerland practiced buy now, pay later long before the term existed. Purchase on invoice (Kauf auf Rechnung) is a Swiss habit: it represented 15.7% of online transactions and 34.6% of online spending in May 2026, and almost 70% of online merchants offer it, according to the FHNW survey quoted by Worldline. Merchants rarely carry the risk themselves. Specialist providers run the credit check, pay the merchant and collect from the shopper.

Cembra's CembraPay, which absorbed Byjuno, is the market leader with an estimated 30% to 40% share and a billing volume of CHF 694 million in 2025, down 15% year on year. MF Group's Powerpay and Swissbilling, a Cembra subsidiary that also powers TWINT's pay later option, follow, while Klarna, PayPal, Riverty and HeyLight bring international formats such as pay in 3 and card-based installments.

Installment and BNPL providers in Switzerland

Purchase on invoice

Invoice payment

Paying after delivery by invoice, usually within 30 days with a QR-bill or eBill, is the Swiss default deferred payment and is often operated by a specialist provider.

34.6% share of online payment value settled by invoice, May 2026, Swiss Payment Monitor

CembraPay

Invoice and installments

Cembra Money Bank's BNPL subsidiary, formerly Byjuno, offering purchase on invoice and installment plans of 3 to 48 months to online shops, as listed by Worldline.

CHF 694 million CembraPay billing volume in 2025, 30% to 40% estimated market share, Cembra annual report

Powerpay

Invoice and installments

MF Group's invoice payment service, where shoppers pay the invoice in full or in monthly installments; common in fashion, lifestyle and furniture, according to Payrexx.

Swissbilling

Invoice and installments

A Cembra subsidiary offering guaranteed invoice payments and 0% installment plans, and the provider behind TWINT's 30-day pay later option.

Klarna

BNPL

The Swedish BNPL provider offers Pay in 30 days, Pay in 3 interest-free installments and Pay Now in Switzerland, also through Swiss PSPs such as Payrexx.

HeyLight

Installments

Formerly HeidiPay, HeyLight splits purchases into 4 to 24 monthly installments paid by card, in stores and online, according to Worldline.

Payment by digital wallet and X-Pay in Switzerland

Mobile payment is now the first way to pay in Switzerland by number of transactions, at 34.5% in May 2026. TWINT leads it. The app counted well over 6 million active users and 901 million transactions in 2025, 77% of them commercial and 23% between individuals, and about 65% of its commercial payments happen in stores. Its share of mobile payments is falling, though, from 62.7% to 55.6% in May 2026, as card-based wallets gain ground.

Apple Pay is the main X-Pay wallet, with 21.1% of mobile transactions, ahead of Google Pay (5.4%) and Samsung Pay (3.0%), according to the same report. PostFinance alone had cards in more than one million mobile wallets at the end of 2025. TWINT welcomes the Competition Commission's preliminary investigation into Apple's NFC access, a topic that will shape in-store mobile payments. Our article on Apple Pay integration covers the merchant side.

Digital wallets and X-Pay in Switzerland

TWINT

Bank QR wallet

Switzerland's national payment app, owned by Swiss banks, used with QR codes in stores, at checkout online, for person-to-person transfers and, since 2023, with a 30-day pay later option. TWINT invoice and direct debit are planned for 2026.

901 million TWINT transactions in 2025, up 17%, TWINT

Apple Pay

Mobile wallet

Apple's wallet, the most used card-based wallet in Switzerland, for contactless payments in stores and one-click payments online and in apps.

21.1% share of mobile payment transactions, May 2026, Swiss Payment Monitor

Google Pay

Mobile wallet

The Android wallet for tap-to-pay with tokenized Swiss debit and credit cards, also offered at checkout by Swiss PSPs.

5.4% share of mobile payment transactions, May 2026, Swiss Payment Monitor

Samsung Pay

Mobile wallet

Samsung's wallet for Galaxy devices, used with Swiss debit and credit cards and growing from a small base.

3.0% share of mobile payment transactions, May 2026, up 1.5 points, Swiss Payment Monitor

Payments in Switzerland: FAQ

What is the most popular payment method in Switzerland?

It depends on how you count. By transactions, mobile devices lead with 34.5% in May 2026, mainly TWINT and Apple Pay. By method, the debit card remains first at the point of sale in the SNB's 2025 survey, followed by cash and payment apps.

Do online shops in Switzerland need TWINT?

In practice, yes. TWINT is accepted by about 86% of Swiss online shops, and roughly 35% of its commercial transactions are remote. It holds 60.3% of online mobile payments in the latest Swiss Payment Monitor.

Do people in Switzerland still pay in cash?

Yes. Cash covered 23.2% of all transactions and 27.1% of in-store payments in May 2026, according to the Swiss Payment Monitor. Support is strong: 79.2% of respondents oppose abolishing cash.

Is purchase on invoice still common in Switzerland?

Very. Invoices covered 34.6% of online spending in May 2026. Providers such as CembraPay, Powerpay and Swissbilling handle the credit check and guarantee payment, and CembraPay alone billed CHF 694 million in 2025.

Accept local payments in Switzerland with NORBr

Swiss merchants usually connect through gateways such as Datatrans, wallee or Payrexx that bundle cards, TWINT and PostFinance Pay, while Worldline and Nexi lead card acquiring. Check direct TWINT and PostFinance connections, CHF settlement, invoice partners and Swiss data hosting.

With NORBr, you can connect any acquirer, PSP or local provider that offers TWINT, PostFinance, QR-bills and purchase on invoice. Some are already in our connector catalog; Mapper™ gets the others live in days, and Smart Checkout shows each shopper the right methods. Explore the other #PayWorldTour guides.

Local payment providers in Switzerland

Worldline Switzerland

Acquirer

Former SIX Payment Services, Worldline is the leading card acquirer in Switzerland and runs the Saferpay online gateway for Swiss merchants of all sizes.

Covers: Cards, TWINT, PostFinance Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay

Datatrans

Payment gateway

Zurich-based payment gateway, part of Planet, connecting large Swiss retailers and e-commerce merchants to local acquirers, wallets and invoice providers.

Covers: Cards, TWINT, PostFinance Pay, CembraPay, Powerpay, Swissbilling, Apple Pay, Google Pay