CIM Bank
CIM Bank SA is a FINMA-regulated Swiss private and corporate bank founded in 1990, headquartered in Geneva with branches in Lugano and Wollerau. It serves high-net-worth individuals and corporate clients through multi-currency accounts, proprietary E-Banking, online trading, asset management mandates, Lombard credits, and trade finance services across 25 currencies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersGenève, Switzerland
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What CIM Bank does
CIM Bank SA is a privately held Swiss private and corporate bank founded in 1990 and headquartered in Geneva, with branch offices in Lugano (opened 2000) and Wollerau (opened 2015). The bank is regulated by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) and operates under Swiss banking law, with deposits covered by esisuisse up to CHF 100,000 per client. Francesco Signorio acquired a majority shareholding in 1993 and remains Chairman of the Board; ownership is private with no external parent company or public listing. The bank operates two primary client segments — HNW private banking individuals and corporate clients requiring international trade and treasury services — with multilingual relationship managers serving cross-border clients across European and adjacent markets. Leadership transitioned in May 2024 with Gabriele Ruffa appointed CEO succeeding Michel Vorlet, who moved to Vice-Chairman.
The bank's product platform centers on multi-currency accounts supporting 25 currencies with international transfers in 100+ currencies via SWIFT, supported by a proprietary E-Banking platform developed in-house since 2012 and augmented by AI-powered fraud detection and transaction monitoring deployed since 2020. Online trading (CIM Order) provides access to eight global exchanges (SMI Zurich, DAX Frankfurt, FTSE MIB Milan, FTSE London, CAC Paris, IBEX Madrid, NYSE, NASDAQ) for stocks, bonds, funds, derivatives, and forex. Asset management mandates (CHF 100,000 minimum) include CIM proprietary, BlackRock, and custom portfolios; Lombard credits extend up to 90% loan-to-value across 15+ currencies; and trade services cover documentary credits, collections, standby letters of credit, and bank guarantees. Payment infrastructure integrates Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay, Swiss Bankers, and Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Google Pay, with a 24/7 Luxury Concierge for UnionPay holders.
Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of recurring and transactional streams: quarterly account maintenance fees (CHF 90-120), transfer fees (CHF 3.50-525 depending on amount and currency), trading commissions (0.15-0.50%), Lombard credit interest spreads (refinancing rate plus 1.5-4.75%), forex spreads (0.25-1.15%), asset management fees (0.05-0.22% quarterly plus custody), and trade services fees (0.10-2.5%). The go-to-market combines direct relationship management, a Business Introducer Program for wealth referrals, and lifestyle partnerships with luxury Swiss hotels. The bank is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds or revenue figures; growth signals include technology modernization and product diversification rather than aggressive geographic or headcount expansion.
CIM Bank firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CIM Bank
- Legal name
- CIM Bank SA
- Website
- https://cimbanque.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- CIM Bank SA is a FINMA-regulated Swiss private and corporate bank founded in 1990, headquartered in Geneva with branches in Lugano and Wollerau. It serves high-net-worth individuals and corporate clients through multi-currency accounts, proprietary E-Banking, online trading, asset management mandates, Lombard credits, and trade finance services across 25 currencies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where CIM Bank is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Genève
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
CIM Bank business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Account Maintenance Fees: Quarterly maintenance fees charged for multi-currency accounts. Private accounts charged 90 CHF quarterly, precious metal accounts 80 CHF quarterly. Corporate accounts charged 120 CHF quarterly.
- Transfer and Transaction Fees: Fees charged for incoming and outgoing transfers, with rates varying by amount and currency. Incoming transfers free for private clients; outgoing transfers from 25 CHF via E-Banking. Corporate transfers range from 10-0.045% depending on amount and channel.
- Trading and Brokerage Commissions: Commissions on market transactions including shares (0.30-0.50%), investment funds (0.30-0.50%), bonds (0.15-0.50%), and derivatives (CHF 10-30 per contract). Managed clients receive preferential rates.
- Lombard Credit Interest: Interest income from Lombard loans secured against securities. Rates based on refinancing rate plus spread (1.5-4.75% depending on currency and loan type). Available in 15+ currencies.
- Forex Transaction Fees: Currency conversion fees ranging from 0.25% to 1.15% of transaction value, with volume-based pricing.
- Trade Services Fees: Fees for documentary credits, bank guarantees, standby letters of credit, and documentary collections. Ranges from 0.10% to 2.5% per transaction with minimums of CHF 200-500.
- Asset Management Fees: Quarterly management fees for mandates: CIM Mandate (0.05-0.12%), BlackRock Mandate (0.20%), and custom mandates (0.08-0.20%). Custody fees of 0.18-0.22% annually.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Quarterly | Private Multi-Currency Account |
| Subscription | Quarterly | Corporate Multi-Currency Account |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Online Trading |
| Subscription | Quarterly | Asset Management Mandates |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Private Outgoing Transfers |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Corporate Outgoing Transfers |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Lombard Credit |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Trade Services |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
CIM Bank product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CIM Bank is a Swiss private and corporate bank providing multi-currency accounts in 25 currencies, international payment/transfer services in 100+ currencies via SWIFT, online trading on major global exchanges, asset management mandates, Lombard credits, trade finance instruments (documentary credits, collections, standby letters of credit, bank guarantees), and credit/prepaid cards under Visa, Mastercard, and UnionPay networks. Services are accessed via a proprietary E-Banking platform developed in-house since 2012 and through relationship managers in three Swiss offices.
Product overview
CIM Bank is a Swiss private and corporate banking institution founded in 1990, offering a unified banking platform with multiple integrated products and services. The core offering centers on multi-currency accounts supporting 25 currencies with global payment capabilities via SWIFT. The E-Banking platform serves as the primary digital channel for managing accounts, executing online trades across global exchanges, transferring funds in 100+ currencies, and accessing portfolio management tools. For corporate clients, trade services provide documentary credits, collections, standby letters of credit, and bank guarantees to secure international transactions. The bank also offers credit cards (UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard) with mobile payment integration (Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay), Lombard credits for securities-backed lending, and asset management mandates. Premium services include a luxury concierge for UnionPay cardholders and lifestyle partnerships with Swiss hotels. All services are regulated by FINMA and operate from offices in Geneva, Lugano, and Wollerau.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Private Multi-Currency Account A single bank account for private clients supporting 25 currencies with attractive rates, providing access to more than 120 countries for international transactions and integrated with the E-Banking platform.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 90% loan-to-value on Lombard credits
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use CIM Bank
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
CIM Bank technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability1 record
Feature4 records
CIM Bank partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- esisuissecoreSwiss deposit insurance scheme covering protected deposits up to CHF 100,000 per client and institution. CIM Bank deposits are covered by esisuisse as part of Swiss banking self-regulation.
- Visacore
- Mastercardcore
- UnionPaycore
- Visecacore
- SIX Swiss Exchangecore
- La Réserve Genève Hotel and Spaminor
- Hôtel Splendide Royal Luganominor
- Hôtel Métropole Genèveminor
- Beau-Rivage Hotel Genevaminor
- BlackRockcore
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CIM Bank competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- UBS: Switzerland's largest bank and global wealth manager with multi-currency accounts, trading, asset management, and trade finance. Overlaps CIM Bank across the full private and corporate banking product set but operates at vastly larger scale.
Direct peers
- Julius Baer: Swiss pure-play private bank serving HNW and UHNW clients globally with multi-currency accounts, asset management, securities-backed lending, and trading. Closely comparable to CIM Bank on product mix and target segment, though at significantly larger scale.
- Pictet Group: Swiss private bank and asset manager serving HNW individuals and institutions with multi-currency banking, custody, trading, and discretionary mandates. Closely comparable to CIM Bank's HNW-focused wealth management and trading proposition.
- Lombard Odier: Geneva-headquartered Swiss private bank offering multi-currency accounts, asset management, trading, and Lombard lending to HNW clients. A direct geographic and product peer to CIM Bank's Geneva-anchored offering.
- EFG International: Swiss-listed private banking group serving HNW clients with multi-currency accounts, discretionary mandates, securities-based lending, and trading. Comparable mid-sized Swiss competitor with similar product breadth and client focus.
- Vontobel: Swiss wealth manager offering private banking, asset management, and trading services to HNW clients. Overlaps with CIM Bank on the trading and discretionary mandate product lines.
- Bank J. Safra Sarasin: Swiss private bank headquartered in Basel serving HNW clients with multi-currency banking, custody, asset management, and Lombard lending. Direct competitor for CIM Bank's HNW private banking proposition.
- Mirabaud: Geneva-based Swiss private bank offering wealth management, asset management, and corporate advisory services to HNW clients. Comparable in scale and product set to CIM Bank's HNW-focused Swiss offering.
- Bordier & Cie: Independent Swiss private bank headquartered in Geneva serving HNW clients with discretionary management, custody, and trading services. A similarly sized and structured independent Swiss competitor to CIM Bank.
Regional players
- Banque Cantonale de Genève: Geneva cantonal bank offering retail and corporate banking including multi-currency accounts and trade finance in the same Swiss Romand market. A regional competitor rather than a direct HNW-focused peer, but competes for the same Geneva-based corporate clients.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CIM Bank social profiles
Digital presenceCIM Bank compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
CIM Bank financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CIM Bank leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
CIM Bank funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CIM Bank M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CIM Bank
What does CIM Bank do?
CIM Bank is a Swiss private and corporate bank providing multi-currency accounts in 25 currencies, international payment/transfer services in 100+ currencies via SWIFT, online trading on major global exchanges, asset management mandates, Lombard credits, trade finance instruments (documentary credits, collections, standby letters of credit, bank guarantees), and credit/prepaid cards under Visa, Mastercard, and UnionPay networks. Services are accessed via a proprietary E-Banking platform developed in-house since 2012 and through relationship managers in three Swiss offices.
Is CIM Bank a public or private company?
CIM Bank is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CIM Bank founded?
CIM Bank was founded in 1990. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is CIM Bank based?
CIM Bank is headquartered in Genève, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does CIM Bank make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Account Maintenance Fees are the primary driver. The others are transfer and Transaction Fees, trading and Brokerage Commissions, lombard Credit Interest, forex Transaction Fees, trade Services Fees and asset Management Fees.
Who are CIM Bank's main competitors?
UBS is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Julius Baer, Pictet Group, Lombard Odier, EFG International, Vontobel, Bank J. Safra Sarasin, Mirabaud and Bordier & Cie. Banque Cantonale de Genève is listed as a regional player.
Does CIM Bank have an API?
No public API is recorded for CIM Bank.