Swiss Credit 2026
A personal loan enables customers to finance both planned and unplanned purchases or to cover extraordinary expenses. It is also used to bridge temporary financial difficulties. The costs are fixed by the bank and structured through monthly instalments. However, there are also loans with more flexible repayment conditions. The costs in the form of the effective annual interest rate can be considerable and may be as high as 10%. Therefore, it is advisable to use our Loan Calculator to compare loans, and to seek advice from a credit specialist if necessary.
Swiss credit - creditworthiness checks
If consumers wish to take out a loan in Switzerland, their creditworthiness is checked first. On the one hand, the creditworthiness assessment provides the bank with some security, but also protects the consumer from over-indebtedness. The assessment not only checks the creditworthiness but also the credit rating. For this purpose, information on income and general financial circumstances as well as information on financial obligations are evaluated.
Consumer protection
In Switzerland, consumer protection is governed by the Federal Act on crédit à la consommation.These regulatory provisions primarily prevent borrowers from becoming financially overburdened or overindebted through a credit agreement. The Central Office for Credit Information (ZEK) reviews information about the financial situation of borrowers. If, for example, it is found that bank cards are frequently blocked or payment deadlines are not met, the loan application may be rejected. If information regarding income, taxes, and the cantonal minimum subsistence level is positively assessed, creditworthy consumers will be granted the loan.
Since 1 January 2016, there are no longer immediate loans in Switzerland (exception: up to 3 months term and/or from a loan amount of CHF 80000). Any borrower may withdraw from the contract without giving reasons within 14 days of signing the credit application (KKG 16 para. 1).
The legal situation - Credit Switzerland
From a legal point of view, a Swiss personal loan is a bilateral contractual relationship; the loan agreement is between the borrower (consumer) and the lender (bank).
The borrower's motive is to procure financial resources to finance certain acquisitions or projects or for permanent refinancing as an operating loan. The lender's motive is to earn interest by granting the loan.
The borrower thus has the aim of realising a certain project, which is not possible with just his own financial resources. The lender's aim is to lend money against interest and the security of repayment.
The Swiss Federal Act on Consumer Credit (KKG) of 2003 is the central law governing consumer loans in Switzerland. It is designed to protect consumers from over-indebtedness and abusive lending practices by establishing clear rules for credit agreements: lenders must assess the borrower’s creditworthiness, transparently disclose the effective annual interest rate, fees, term, and repayment conditions, and may not engage in misleading advertising. The KKG also sets interest rate caps and regulates withdrawal rights, ensuring comprehensive protection for borrowers.
Statistical figures
Loans in Switzerland: Some interesting statistics deal with loans in Switzerland. For example, the Association for the Management of a Central Office for Credit Information (ZEK) and the Swiss National Bank (SNB) present statistical figures on the granting of personal loans. In doing so, ZEK records the consumer credits of ZEK members in the area of cash, instalment, fixed and current account credits. Since 2005, the SNB has been dealing with consumer credit in accordance with Article 1 of the Federal Consumer Credit Act, or KKG for short. The statistics are representative and reflect the traditional credit business with the largest share of consumer loans.
Year 2024
In 2024, the volume of consumer credit contracts amounted to CHF 4.15 billion. The number of active consumer credits decreased by around 9.6 percent compared to the previous year, reaching approximately 116,716 contracts (compared to around 129,064 contracts the previous year).
In 2024, 35.5 percent of all creditworthiness checks were rejected, compared to 30.8 percent in the previous year.
Year 2023
In 2023, the volume of consumer credit agreements amounted to CHF 4.79 billion. The number of active consumer credit agreements increased by approximately 2.2 percent compared to the previous year, reaching around 129,064 contracts (previous year: approx. 126,347 contracts).
In 2023, 30.8 percent of all creditworthiness checks were rejected, compared to 28.7 percent in the previous year.
Year 2022
In 2022, the volume of consumer credit contracts was CHF 4.53 billion. The number of current consumer credit contracts increased by about 10.7 per cent compared to the previous year to approximately 126,347 credit contracts (in the previous year there were approximately 114,085 contracts).
In 2022, 28.7 percent of all creditworthiness checks were rejected, compared to 27.6 percent in the previous year.
Year 2021
In 2021, the volume of consumer credit agreements amounted to CHF 3.91 billion. The number of active consumer credit agreements increased by approximately 0.7 percent compared to the previous year, reaching around 114,085 contracts (previous year: approx. 113,281 contracts).
In 2021, 27.6 percent of all credit rating queries were rejected, compared to 30.8 percent in the previous year.
Year 2020
In 2020, the volume of consumer credit contracts was 3.91 billion Swiss francs. The number of current consumer loans increased by about 0.7 per cent to about 114.085 loan contracts compared to the previous year (about 113.281 contracts in the previous year).
In 2020, 30.8 percent of all creditworthiness enquiries were rejected, compared to 32.5 percent in the previous year.
Year 2019
Year 2019: In 2019, the volume of consumer credit contracts was CHF 4.45 billion. The number of current consumer credit contracts decreased by about 2.4 per cent compared to the previous year to approximately 136,589 credit contracts (in the previous year there were approximately 139,999 contracts).
In 2019, 32.5 percent of all credit rating queries were rejected, compared to 29.7 percent in the previous year.
Year 2018
Year 2018: In 2018, the volume of consumer credit contracts was CHF 4.44 billion. The number of current consumer credit contracts increased by about 0.45 percent compared to the previous year to approximately 139,999 credit contracts (previous year: approximately 139,366 contracts).
In 2018, 29.7 percent of all credit rating requests were rejected, compared to 28.5 percent in the previous year.
Year 2017
Year 2017: In 2017, the volume of consumer credit contracts was CHF 4.199 billion. The number of current consumer credit contracts increased by about 2.4 per cent compared to the previous year to approximately 139,666 credit contracts (previous year approximately 136,555 contracts).
In 2017, 28.5 percent of all credit rating queries were rejected, compared to 30.1 percent in the previous year.
Last updated: January 2026
Why are loans rejected?
Loans in Switzerland are not granted automatically but are based on an individual assessment of creditworthiness. Common reasons for rejection include insufficient creditworthiness, too low or irregular income, existing financial obligations, or entries in the ZEK.
Affordability is also a key factor: the monthly loan burden must be proportionate to the available income. If these requirements are not met, a loan application may be rejected.
In such cases, it may be worthwhile to apply again with another provider or after changes in financial circumstances.
