I work in the crypto self-custody space, and I checked every 2026 fee in this guide on the provider's own pricing page on 10 October 2026, starting with the Relai pricing policy.
Fee comparisons often leave out the spread, the card surcharge and the minimum order. The table below includes them where the provider publishes them.
TL;DR
Pick a Swiss CHF platform and pay by bank transfer. For small recurring buys, Relai (1.0% plus spread) and Pocket (1.5%, no added spread) deliver to wallets whose keys only you hold (Relai pricing, Pocket fees). Every platform identifies you when you open an account (GwG Art. 3). The OECD crypto reporting framework (CARF) does not apply in Switzerland in 2026 and starts in January 2027 at the earliest (SIF). Capital gains stay tax-free for private investors (DBG Art. 16 Abs. 3). After every meaningful buy, move your Bitcoin to a hardware wallet you control.
Why Switzerland is a good place to start
You can buy Bitcoin in CHF from Swiss providers, and private-investor capital gains are tax-free (DBG Art. 16 Abs. 3). If you are brand new to Bitcoin, start with Chapter 1.
Where CARF stands in 2026
The OECD Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) was meant to apply in Switzerland from 1 January 2026. On 3 November 2025 the National Council's economic affairs committee (WAK-N) decided not to apply it with any partner state for now, and on 26 November 2025 the Federal Council decided that the crypto provisions of the law and ordinance on the automatic exchange of information do not apply in 2026 (Federal Council press release). According to the SIF (18 May 2026), Switzerland can apply it from 1 January 2027 at the earliest, once parliament has approved the partner states.
None of this changes your tax position. Capital gains stay tax-free for private investors, and your holdings still count toward the annual wealth tax. You declare them yourself in your tax return.
Where to buy in CHF
Each fee below comes from the provider's own page, read on 10 October 2026.
| Platform | Seat | Supervision | Fees | Custody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Relai | Zurich | VQF member | 1.0% plus spread, 0.9% with referral code, card or Apple/Google Pay +3.0%, minimum CHF 50 | Self-custodial wallet in the app |
| Lupfig (AG) | VQF member | 1.5%, no added spread, shared network fee | Payout to your own wallet | |
| Mt Pelerin | Neuchâtel | SO-FIT member | Bank transfer: first CHF 500 a year free, then 1.3% to 0.6% by yearly volume; card 2.5% to 3.8% | Bridge Wallet, keys only with you |
| Bity | Neuchâtel | SO-FIT member | Execution desk only, from CHF 100,000 per trade, up to 2.5% all-in | Not applicable |
| Swissquote | Gland (VD) | FINMA-licensed bank | From 1% maker and taker, down to 0.08% / 0.18%; custody CHF 20 to 50 a quarter | Custodial |
| Kraken | No Swiss entity named | Irish and US entities | Spot tier 1: 0.40% maker, 0.80% taker | Custodial |
Relai. The pricing policy (last updated 31 December 2025) sets a 1.0% service fee plus a small spread, with 10% off the service fee for users with a referral code, so 0.9%. The first CHF 100 a month in a monthly savings plan is free of service fees, and the minimum order is CHF 50. Card, Apple Pay and Google Pay add 3.0% (relai.app). Relai AG has its registered office in Zurich and is registered with the VQF, and its app wallet is self-custodial: the seed phrase stays on your device (terms).
Pocket. Pocket charges a 1.5% service fee with no spread on top and buys on Kraken at the current rate; a network fee of about 500 to 1,000 sats per payout is shared among customers (Pocket fees). Pocket App AG is in Lupfig, canton Aargau, and is a VQF member (legal).
Mt Pelerin. The first CHF 500 you buy by bank transfer in a year is free; above that the commission is 1.3% up to CHF 5,000, then 1.1%, 0.9%, 0.7% and 0.6% at higher yearly volumes (pricing). Swiss (SIC) and SEPA transfers are free. Card, Google Pay and Apple Pay cost 2.5% on the first CHF 500 and 3.8% to 3.4% above. Mt Pelerin Group SA is in Neuchâtel and affiliated to the SRO SO-FIT, and it never has access to the keys of your Bridge Wallet (terms).
Bity. Bity is now a private execution desk: it takes trades from CHF 100,000 per trade or CHF 250,000 a year, with fees agreed per trade up to 2.5% all-in (Bity fees).
Swissquote. Swissquote Bank Ltd, based in Gland, holds a FINMA banking licence (Swissquote). Its crypto trading fees follow your 30-day volume: Standard I is 1% maker and 1% taker, PRO II (above USD 60 million) 0.08% and 0.18% (Swissquote pricing). Custody costs CHF 20 to 50 a quarter by asset size, plus 0.0075% a quarter above CHF 1 million.
Kraken. Kraken's spot fee schedule starts at 0.40% maker and 0.80% taker in tier 1 and falls with 30-day volume (fee schedule). Its legal page names Payward, Inc. and Irish Payward entities authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland; it names no Swiss entity.
Buying through Relai step by step
Step 1: Download the app. Relai is on the App Store and Google Play (relai.app).
Step 2: Complete identification. Start verification before you fund the account. Submit a valid ID and a selfie.
Step 3: Choose your payment method. Bank transfer costs the 1.0% service fee, or 0.9% with a referral code (pricing policy). Card, Apple Pay and Google Pay settle instantly but add 3.0%. For anything recurring, bank transfer wins.
Step 4: Set your amount. Enter the CHF amount, at least CHF 50. Relai shows the price, including the spread, before you confirm.
Step 5: Confirm and send. For a bank transfer you get Relai's account details and a payment reference.
Step 6: Set up a recurring buy. Choose weekly or monthly in CHF. The CHF amount is fixed; the BTC quantity varies with price. See DCA Strategy for how this plays out across cycles.
Paying in CHF
Use a bank transfer. It carries the lowest fee on Relai and Mt Pelerin, where cards add 3.0% and 2.5% or more (Relai, Mt Pelerin). Some banks query a first transfer to a crypto platform. In my experience a short phone call resolves it: PostFinance, ZKB and the cantonal banks I have used let the second transfer through without friction.
Apple Pay and Google Pay work on Relai and settle instantly, but the 3.0% surcharge makes them a poor choice for recurring buys.
Get the coins off the exchange
On a custodial platform, your Bitcoin sits with the provider until you withdraw, and the provider holds the private keys. Exchange wallets have been frozen, hacked and lost in insolvencies. In my view you don't own Bitcoin until you hold the keys.
Relai, Pocket and Mt Pelerin deliver to wallets whose keys only you hold, which removes the most common mistake (forgetting to move). On custodial platforms such as Swissquote or Kraken, withdraw after every meaningful buy.
For anything beyond a test transaction, move Bitcoin to a hardware wallet you control. Buy it direct from the manufacturer and follow their setup. Write your 12 or 24-word seed phrase on paper, not in a photo, a password manager or cloud storage. Send a small test withdrawal first before you move real size.
For the full self-custody walkthrough, read Breaking Free Why Self-Custody Matters.
Swiss tax in two sentences
Capital gains on private assets are tax-free (DBG Art. 16 Abs. 3): buy at CHF 10,000, sell at CHF 25,000, and the CHF 15,000 gain is not taxable, provided you are not classified as a professional trader. Wealth tax applies to your balance at the end of the year, at the ESTV year-end value, and each canton sets its own rate.
Keep records of every purchase: date, CHF amount, BTC received and rate. Whether you count as a professional trader is judged on the criteria of Kreisschreiben Nr. 36, applied to crypto by analogy: holding period, volume, borrowed money, how much of your income the gains make up, and derivatives.
For cantonal differences, how to declare on your Swiss return and the documents you need, read the complete guide to Bitcoin taxes in Switzerland.
Which platform for which size
Recurring buys under CHF 1,000: Relai for the free CHF 100 a month in a savings plan and the 0.9% referral rate, or Pocket for 1.5% with no added spread. A single buy up to CHF 500 a year: Mt Pelerin, free. Large trades from CHF 100,000: Bity's desk. If you want a Swiss bank as counterparty, Swissquote, with the trade-off of custody fees. Buy a hardware wallet before any of it gets meaningful.
Related Swiss Bitcoin guides
- Bitcoin self-custody from zero to cold wallet gets the coins off the exchange.
- Cold storage setup step by step is the long-term vault workflow.
- DCA and cold-storage workflow for Switzerland combines recurring buys with self-custody.
- Why DCA beats market timing is the strategy behind recurring buys.
- Run a Bitcoin node at home in Switzerland verifies your own coins.
- Lightning Network home setup makes small payments practical.
- Wallet recovery paths covers what to do when access breaks.
This is education, not financial or tax advice. Bitcoin's price is volatile and platform fees change. Verify every fee on the provider's current pricing page (relai.app, pocketbitcoin.com, mtpelerin.com, swissquote.com, bity.com, kraken.com) and ask a licensed Swiss Steuerberater before you invest material sums.
Planning recurring buys? Bitcoin DCA Strategy covers dollar-cost averaging across multiple halving cycles for Swiss residents.
New to Bitcoin? Start with Chapter 1.
Want the full picture? Read all 19 chapters free or order the physical book.
