Buy Ethereum in Switzerland

Ether, the cryptocurrency of the Ethereum network, is almost as easy to buy in Switzerland as bitcoin. Seven of the eight providers we checked for our overview of top cryptocurrencies sell it; only bitcoin-only apps leave it out. So the more useful questions are different ones: what does buying cost, can you stake your ETH, and are you allowed to withdraw it to your own wallet later?

Where to buy ether in Switzerland

The table compares the main routes with francs or euros. Fees come from each provider's published price list.

CEX.IO has operated since 2013; group entities are registered in the US (FinCEN) and the UK (FCA), but Swiss residents contract with CEX OVRS LLC in Nevis, and there is no Swiss franc option. Kraken accepts francs by SIC via Bank Frick at no charge; we could not confirm that all its staking services are open to Swiss residents. At SwissBorg, a franc deposit can only be sent by SWIFT to its French entity BlockNodes. Geneva-based Mt Pelerin delivers ether straight to its Bridge Wallet, with no commission on the first CHF 500 of annual volume by bank transfer.

Zürcher Kantonalbank (bitcoin and ether since September 2024), Zuger Kantonalbank and Ticino's BancaStato also sell ether directly in e-banking (crypto banks compared). Without an account, you can buy ETH as a paper wallet for CHF 20 to 500 at any SBB ticket machine (how the SBB machine works), and Värdex's ATMs sell ether alongside bitcoin from CHF 50.

What a purchase costs

For CHF 1,000 of ether you pay CHF 9.50 at PostFinance plus a portfolio fee of CHF 1.50 a year (excluding VAT), CHF 10 at Swissquote, CHF 9.90 at SwissBorg plus any SWIFT charges from your bank, CHF 18 at LUKB plus 0.60% a year in custody fees, and CHF 4 to 8 on Kraken Pro depending on the order type. A spread comes on top almost everywhere. Paying by card costs more: 2.5 to 3.8% at Mt Pelerin, 4.5% at SwissBorg.

Paying in euros

If you hold euros – as a cross-border commuter, or with savings from a previous job abroad – you can skip the currency exchange: Kraken accepts euros by SEPA free of charge, and SwissBorg and Mt Pelerin take SEPA too. At the banks, purchases run through your account there; PostFinance quotes its minimums and fee tiers in US dollars. Expats should also note that PostFinance crypto requires a Swiss tax domicile and a Swiss ID, passport or a B, C or C1 permit.

Your first ether in five steps

1. 1

   Choose a provider

   Want to stake? PostFinance or Swissquote. Want to hold the ETH yourself? A provider that allows withdrawals, such as Kraken or Mt Pelerin.

2. 2

   Open and verify an account

   ID or passport and a selfie in the app. In Switzerland, identification is mandatory once crypto purchases reach CHF 1,000 within 30 days.

3. 3

   Deposit francs

   By bank transfer (SIC), usually free; at SwissBorg by SWIFT only. Cards cost 2.5 to 4.5% depending on the provider.

4. 4

   Buy ether

   Enter the amount and confirm. PostFinance requires at least USD 50, LUKB CHF 50. Fractions such as 0.05 ETH are possible everywhere.

5. 5

   Stake or withdraw

   When withdrawing, check the network carefully: Ethereum mainnet and layer 2 networks are not interchangeable. Send a small test amount first.

Ethereum, Zug and the Ethereum Foundation

No other major cryptocurrency has such close ties to Switzerland. Development is led by the Ethereum Foundation (Stiftung Ethereum), a Swiss non-profit foundation set up in 2014. It was funded by a crowdsale in July and August 2014 in which buyers paid for ether in bitcoin, with the sale's closing time set in Zug time. To this day the terms of use of ethereum.org are governed by Swiss law, with the canton of Zug as place of jurisdiction.

That start grew into the Crypto Valley, one of Europe's densest crypto hubs (Crypto Valley Zug). The mainnet went live on 30 July 2015. Since "The Merge" on 15 September 2022, Ethereum has run on proof of stake instead of mining, which is what makes staking possible. There is no fixed supply cap as with bitcoin, but part of every transaction fee is burned, partly offsetting new issuance. In the US, spot ether ETFs have traded since July 2024.

1. 2014

   Ethereum Foundation set up; crowdsale in July and August, paid in bitcoin.

2. July 2015

   Ethereum mainnet launches.

3. Sept 2022

   "The Merge": switch from mining to proof of stake.

4. March 2024

   Dencun upgrade: blob transactions make layer 2 networks much cheaper.

5. May 2025

   Pectra upgrade: more room for layer 2 data per block.

6. Dec 2025

   Fusaka upgrade: more efficient data availability, higher gas limit.

According to ethereum.org, the next upgrade, "Glamsterdam", is in development and aims to make gas costs more predictable; it has no fixed date.

Understanding gas fees

Every action on Ethereum costs a gas feeA fee paid in ether for computing power on the Ethereum network. It rises when many people send transactions at the same time.. It consists of a base fee, which is burned, and an optional tip for the validator. Its level depends only on network demand, not on the amount: sending 0.01 ETH costs the same gas as sending 100 ETH.

For buyers in Switzerland this means: as long as your ether sits with the bank or exchange, you pay no gas. It applies when you withdraw, usually as a flat fee set by the provider: USD 10 per withdrawal at Swissquote, CHF 80 at LUKB (minimum CHF 1,000), and the network fee plus 0.1% at SwissBorg, at least EUR 1.61. On small amounts that adds up quickly in percentage terms.

Layer 2: cheaper, with a catch

Because mainnet transactions can be expensive, many applications run on a layer 2A network that processes many transactions in batches and writes only the result to Ethereum. Fees there are usually far lower. such as Arbitrum, Optimism or Base. According to ethereum.org, the Dencun (2024) and Pectra (2025) upgrades cut their costs significantly. Arbitrum's ARB token is available at PostFinance and Swissquote, as is Polygon (POL), the network behind the Swiss Post crypto stamps.

The catch: ether on Arbitrum is not the same as ether on mainnet. Pick the wrong network when withdrawing, or send to an exchange that does not support that network, and the funds can be lost. Always check which network the recipient expects.

Staking ether in Switzerland

With stakingLocking up ether to help secure the network and receiving newly issued ether as a regular reward. you lock up ether to help secure the network and receive rewards in return. Two Swiss banks make it simple:

• PostFinance: from 0.1 ETH, 20% of rewards, at least USD 1 per quarter. Orders are executed twice a week and rewards are reinvested automatically. Staked ETH cannot be sold, and unstaking comes with a waiting period.
• Swissquote: staking for ETH, SOL, ADA and DOT, also for 20% of rewards.

Kraken keeps 30% of rewards; whether all its staking services are open to Swiss residents is not confirmed. No provider guarantees a yield; it varies with the network. Alternatives and risks such as lock-up periods are covered in our guide to crypto staking in Switzerland.

Ether on the stock exchange: ETPs on SIX

If you do not want a wallet, you can buy an ETPExchange Traded Product: a listed security that tracks the ether price and sits in a securities account.. The oldest product is 21Shares AETH, listed since March 2019 and now run as a staking ETP with a 1.49% annual fee. Others include 21Shares ETHC, WisdomTree ETHW and CoinShares ETHE. More: crypto ETPs.

Keeping ether safe

For self-custody you need a hardware wallet that supports Ethereum and ERC-20 tokens: the BitBox02 Nova Multi from Shift Crypto AG in Adliswil (not the bitcoin-only edition), Trezor's Universal models (Safe 3 for CHF 49, Safe 5 for CHF 119) or a Ledger bought only from the manufacturer. Popular app wallets include MetaMask and Mt Pelerin's Bridge Wallet. Overview: crypto wallets in Switzerland.

Ethereum adds one particular risk: when you use an application, you often grant it permission over your tokens. Fraudulent sites exploit these approvals to empty wallets. Never confirm anything you do not understand.

Tax on ether and staking

Ether counts as taxable wealth and is valued at the year-end rate in the Federal Tax Administration's price list. Capital gains are tax-free for private investors. Staking rewards, however, are income, valued in francs at the time you receive them. If you stake at PostFinance, the rewards appear in its crypto asset statement. Details in our guide to crypto tax in Switzerland.

Risks

If you want to combine ether with bitcoin, the bitcoin providers and savings plans are on our page on how to buy bitcoin in Switzerland.