Switzerland has long been a magnet for entrepreneurs, high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), and family offices seeking stability, security, and efficient tax planning. In 2025, that appeal is as strong as ever. Yet moving capital or tax residency to Switzerland is no longer just a matter of choosing the right canton. Governments across Europe have tightened rules on wealth taxation, expanded exit taxes, and increased scrutiny on cross-border capital transfers.
For investors considering relocation, the challenge is twofold: managing the departure tax costs in the country they are leaving, and optimizing their long-term position once they arrive in Switzerland. This guide explores how to navigate both sides of that journey.
Why Switzerland remains attractive in 2025
In 2025, Switzerland continues to stand out as one of the most attractive destinations for HNWIs. Its tax system offers advantages that few EU neighbors can match. Key features include:
- Predictable tax system. Switzerland has no federal wealth tax, leaving cantons to set their own rates. In Zug or Schwyz, the annual wealth tax can fall below 0.3%, compared to Spain’s solidarity wealth tax of up to 3.5%.
- Capital gains relief. Private capital gains on movable assets (like shares) are generally tax-free for individuals. An entrepreneur selling a company can relocate and avoid the heavy capital gains burdens seen in France or Germany.
- Inheritance efficiency. Most cantons exempt transfers between close relatives. Contrast that with Germany, where inheritance tax rates can climb to 30% for non-immediate heirs.
- Tailored options. For HNWIs who qualify, lump-sum taxation based on living expenses (forfait fiscal) remains available in several cantons.
Bottom line: Switzerland offers not only lower headline rates but also flexibility that most EU countries cannot match.
The hidden cost: exit taxes in the EU
For many investors, the real hurdle in moving to Switzerland isn’t what awaits on arrival but what they leave behind. Across Europe, exit taxes have become a standard feature, designed to capture revenue from unrealized gains before wealth crosses borders.
France takes a particularly tough stance, taxing substantial shareholdings as though they were sold the moment a resident relocates. Spain imposes an exit tax once an individual’s shareholdings exceed €4 million—or just €1 million if they hold a 25% stake in a company. The Netherlands applies similar rules, taxing latent gains when taxpayers move abroad, with deferrals available but tightly monitored and often conditional.
These measures are not isolated cases. Under the EU’s Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive (ATAD), exit taxation is now the norm across the bloc. For investors with significant equity positions, the tax bill can reach millions before a single franc of Swiss wealth planning even begins.
Investor action: Anyone planning a move to Switzerland must calculate potential exit tax exposure months (or years) in advance. Timing asset sales, restructuring ownership, or transferring assets into holding companies before departure can dramatically reduce the cost.
Capital gains and succession after relocation
For many investors, Switzerland’s treatment of capital gains and inheritance is one of its strongest advantages. Selling a privately held business, for example, is generally free of capital gains tax. By contrast, the same transaction in Germany could attract rates of up to 26% plus solidarity surcharges, on a €20 million gain, that’s more than €5 million in additional tax.
Inheritance planning is equally favorable. In cantons like Zug, transfers to children or spouses are fully exempt. In Spain or France, however, heirs could face tax liabilities of 20–30% on large estates, sharply reducing generational wealth transfer.
There are, however, important caveats. Not all cantons are equal: Geneva, Vaud, and Neuchâtel impose higher wealth and inheritance taxes, and professional securities trading can reclassify what would otherwise be tax-free capital gains as taxable income.
Investor action: selecting the right canton, structuring asset ownership in advance, and integrating succession planning before relocation are essential to preserve wealth across generations.
Practical steps to plan a move in 2025
Relocating to Switzerland for tax efficiency is not just a change of address. It requires a sequence of deliberate steps:
- Run an exit tax simulation. Calculate unrealized gains on shares, businesses, and investments under your current country’s rules. Identify the potential bill if you leave today.
- Restructure assets early. Consider moving holdings into companies or trusts before departure to manage exposure. Deferrals or exemptions may apply if assets are retained within the EU.
- Select the right canton. Compare wealth and inheritance tax rates in cantons like Zug, Schwyz, Geneva, or Vaud. The difference can be millions annually for very large fortunes.
- Plan succession. Establish structures such as holding companies or foundations to ensure inheritance planning aligns with both Swiss and foreign rules.
- Align with transparency rules. The Common Reporting Standard (CRS) and beneficial ownership registries mean secrecy is no longer viable. Compliance-friendly efficiency is the new standard.
- Engage early with advisors. The longer the runway before relocation, the more options exist for restructuring and negotiation with tax authorities.
How SIGTAX can help
Relocating to Switzerland is rarely straightforward. The real challenge lies in managing risks on both sides of the border: mitigating exit taxes in the country you’re leaving, while setting up the most efficient long-term structure once in Switzerland. That’s where tailored guidance makes the difference.
SIGTAX works with HNWIs and family offices to map out every stage of the process: preparing for departure, choosing the right canton, structuring assets, and ensuring ongoing compliance. Key areas of support include:
- Exit tax planning. Developing strategies to manage or reduce departure taxes in EU countries before relocating.
- Cantonal tax comparisons. Analyzing differences between Zug, Schwyz, Geneva, Vaud, and other cantons to identify the most tax-efficient setup for wealth, inheritance, and succession.
- Structuring solutions. Establishing holding companies, family foundations, or other vehicles that protect assets while optimizing succession outcomes.
- Cross-border compliance. Aligning with international reporting standards (CRS, beneficial ownership registries) so structures are both efficient and compliant.
- Ongoing monitoring. Tracking reforms in Switzerland and the EU to anticipate new obligations and adjust strategies before they become risks.
The result is not just a smoother move into Switzerland but a long-term framework that preserves wealth, minimizes exposure, and aligns with global compliance standards.
Conclusion
In 2025, governments are intensifying efforts to tax wealth, capital, and cross-border relocations. For HNWIs and family offices, moving to Switzerland remains a compelling strategy—but only if the departure is as carefully planned as the arrival.
The investors who succeed will be those who simulate exit tax exposure, choose cantons strategically, and align inheritance and reporting structures well in advance. Those who delay risk unexpected bills, limited planning options, and avoidable erosion of wealth.
Contact SIGTAX today for tailored advice on planning your relocation to Switzerland, minimizing exit tax exposure, and securing long-term efficiency for your family or business.
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