Strong Trust in Swiss Banks’ Digital Security – Yet Users Often Fall Short

Bern / Geneva / Zurich, June 18, 2025 – Switzerland experiences a cyberattack every 8.5 minutes – many targeting personal financial data. Digital bank Alpian and the leading privacy and security company Proton commissioned a nationwide survey with gfs.bern to understand how Swiss bank customers navigate digital security in their financial lives – focusing on habits, perceptions, and risks in how people communicate with their banks online.

While the study found that 91% of respondents place strong trust in their banks to safeguard personal data and provide secure digital services, it also revealed a significant vulnerability: consumers themselves are often the weakest link in protecting their accounts and their financial data on their end.

The representative survey included over 1,000 residents aged 16 and older, covering all language regions of Switzerland. It found that 75% now communicate with their bank primarily through digital channels such as e-banking, apps, or email. Yet, the study also shows that many fall short on basic precautions: only 37% use complex passwords for financial communication, and just 26% rely on secure email services.

“It may be tempting to leave security entirely to service providers, but even the strongest protections can be undermined if people rely on technology that lacks basic safeguards,” says Patricia Egger, Head of Security at Proton. “45% of people avoid privacy tools simply because they’re too complex or unclear. That’s a major problem. Privacy shouldn’t be buried in settings or require technical expertise. That’s why Proton and Alpian are working together: to make powerful security tools easy to use and understand.”

Although trust in the digital security of banks is high across all surveyed groups, the results reveal clear differences in user behavior and risk perception:

• Only 26% of respondents use secure email services, and just 31% rely on encryption tools – despite widespread adoption of digital banking.
• One in three express concern about data security when dealing with their bank, particularly in the Romandie.
• Those who consider their own IT protection to be strong are significantly less worried -highlighting the role of digital self-confidence.
• Only 37% use complex passwords for financial communication, leaving the majority vulnerable to simple breaches.

“These findings underscore a clear need for greater digital literacy and personal responsibility in banking. That’s why we’re launching the ‘Secure Starts With You’ campaign together with Proton — to offer people simple, concrete tools to reflect on their digital habits and to encourage them to take small steps toward safer banking,” says Gianmarco Bonaita, Alpian’s CEO. “Because real security doesn’t just depend on systems – it depends on people, too.”

The campaign that Proton and Alpian are launching brings together a set of tools and resources designed to make digital security easier to understand and apply in real life — clear, practical, and jargon-free. It features expert-led articles co-authored by specialists in cybersecurity and finance, a live webinar offering insights from both sectors, and contextual tips integrated directly into the Alpian client experience. Each element is designed to help users engage with digital protection in a way that feels accessible, relevant, and part of their everyday financial lives. The goal: to turn good security from a technical hurdle into a natural habit.

More information to be found in our dashboard: Digitale Sicherheit (only in German)