AEK BANK 1826

What AEK BANK 1826 does

AEK BANK 1826 is a regional cooperative bank (Genossenschaft) under Swiss law, founded in 1826 and headquartered in Thun, Canton of Bern. It serves private customers, business customers, and youth through three principal segments — Privatkunden, Geschäftskunden, and the AEK YOUNGSTARS program for ages 14–24 — distributing its services via 14 branches across the Thun region and a digital banking platform (E-Banking Suite, AEK TWINT mobile app, and Apple Pay/Samsung Pay integrations). The bank employs 166 staff plus 11 apprentices and operates SWIFT AEKTCH22.

The product platform covers the full universal banking value chain: payment and savings accounts (Zahlungskonten, Sparkonto+), card products (Debit Mastercard, AEK Kreditkarten, AEK Kundenkarte, Swiss Bankers Travel Card), mortgage and property financing (Festhypothek, Geldmarkthypothek, owner-occupied and investment property loans), investment and wealth management (Anlagelösungen, Fondssparplan, Kassenobligationen & Festgeld, Vermögensverwaltung with a sustainable investing strategy, and Depotanalyse), and Swiss retirement planning (3a-Konto, Freizügigkeitskonto, Pensionierungsplanung). Supporting digital tools include a mortgage affordability calculator, a pillar-3a tax-savings calculator, QR-based deposit slip scanning, and partner-supplied payment software (Crealogix) and QR scanners (Dative Services Sàrl) for business customers.

AEK monetizes through interest income on mortgages and deposits, account and card fees, wealth management and investment fees, and pension product fees. The cooperative ownership structure aligns the bank with its member-customers rather than external shareholders, and the franchise is deeply embedded in the regional community — sponsoring approximately 600 clubs, projects, and events annually. The bank is FIDLEG-compliant, Swiss Data Protection Act-compliant, and Fair-ON-Pay certified for gender pay equality. In 2026, AEK celebrated its 200th anniversary, reported a successful 2025 financial year with significant customer-asset growth, and appointed Roger Brechbühler as the new CEO following the death of Markus Gosteli.

Name

AEK BANK 1826

Legal name

AEK BANK 1826 Genossenschaft

Website

https://aekbank.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1826

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

AEK BANK 1826 is a Swiss regional cooperative bank founded in 1826 and headquartered in Thun, serving private customers, SMBs, and youth (ages 14–24) through 14 branches and a digital banking platform offering accounts, mortgages, investments, and retirement planning.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Banking

NAICS

Depository Credit Intermediation (5221), Commercial Banking (522110)

SIC

State Commercial Banks (6022), Functions Related To Depository Banking, Nec (6099)

akta.pro primary industry

Student & Youth Banking (FSABAAAH)

Keywords

• Retail banking services
• Mortgage financing
• Wealth management
• Youth banking programs
• Payment accounts

Headquarters

HQ city

Thun

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Account & Card Services: Revenue from account maintenance fees, debit/credit card issuance and transaction fees.
2. Lending & Mortgages: Interest income from mortgages, home financing, and investment property loans including fixed-rate and money-market mortgages.
3. Investment Services: Wealth management, investment solutions, fund savings plans, and securities brokerage.
4. Retirement Planning: Pillar 3a accounts and vested benefits accounts for retirement planning.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AEK BANK 1826 is a regional Swiss cooperative bank offering universal banking services through 14 branches in the Thun region. It provides payment accounts, savings accounts, debit and credit cards, mortgage financing (fixed-rate and money-market), investment and wealth management solutions, retirement planning (Pillar 3a/Pillar 2 accounts), and digital banking through E-Banking and AEK TWINT, serving private customers, business customers, and youth via the AEK YOUNGSTARS program.

Product overview

AEK BANK 1826 is a regional Swiss cooperative bank founded in 1826, headquartered in Thun, offering a comprehensive universal banking platform for private customers, business customers, and youth. The bank's product portfolio centers on core banking services including payment accounts (Zahlungskonten), savings accounts (Sparkonto+), credit and debit cards (Debit Mastercard, AEK Kreditkarten, AEK Kundenkarte, Swiss Bankers Travel), and mortgage financing (Festhypothek, Geldmarkthypothek, Wohneigentum, Rendite-Anlageobjekte). Investment and wealth management offerings encompass Anlagelösungen, Fondssparplan, Kassenobligationen & Festgeld, Vermögensverwaltung with Nachhaltiges Anlegen ESG strategy, and portfolio analysis tools. Retirement planning products include 3a-Konto, Freizügigkeitskonto, Pensionierungsplanung, and Vorsorgeanalyse, complemented by tax calculators. Digital banking is delivered through the AEK E-Banking platform and AEK TWINT mobile payment app, with Apple Pay and Samsung Pay integrations. The bank serves youth through the AEK YOUNGSTARS sub-brand with specialized products like the Jugend-Fondssparplan. Supporting tools include Hypothekenrechner, 3a Steuersparrechner, Depotanalyse, and Zahlungsprogramme & Belegleser for business customers. As a regional employer, the bank operates the AEK Weiterbildungsakademie for staff development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AEK YOUNGSTARS: Youth program for individuals aged 14-24 offering savings, investment, and retirement planning benefits along with vouchers and discounts.

Products and services

• Sparkonto+ (Savings Account+) Fee-free savings account for private customers offering a preferential interest rate of at least 0.50%, designed for accumulation of savings.
• Zahlungskonten (Payment Accounts) Current account solutions for everyday banking transactions including account opening, payment functionality, and account conditions/interest rates.
• Debit Mastercard All-purpose debit card functioning contactless, online, and worldwide for cashless payments and secure online shopping.
• AEK Kreditkarten (AEK Credit Cards) Credit card offerings under the AEK brand for various customer needs including Apple Pay and Samsung Pay compatibility.
• AEK Kundenkarte (AEK Customer Card) Customer card for use at all AEK Bancomaten and branches for CHF or EUR cash withdrawals and balance inquiries.
• Swiss Bankers Travel Card Travel card solution for international travel purposes.
• Festhypothek (Fixed-Rate Mortgage) Fixed-term mortgage product with locked interest rate for property financing.
• Geldmarkthypothek (Money Market Mortgage) Variable-rate mortgage tied to money market conditions for property financing.
• Wohneigentum (Home Ownership Financing) Property financing solutions for purchasing owner-occupied residential property.
• Rendite-Anlageobjekte (Yield Investment Property Financing) Financing solutions for investment properties intended to generate rental income or capital appreciation.
• Anlagelösungen (Investment Solutions) Investment products and solutions for wealth management including portfolio management and advisory services.
• Fondssparplan (Fund Savings Plan) Systematic investment plan for building wealth gradually through regular fund investments.
• Kassenobligationen & Festgeld (Deposit Certificates & Fixed-Term Deposits) Fixed-term deposit products offering guaranteed returns for specified periods.
• Vermögensverwaltung (Wealth Management) Professional asset management services including strategies and sustainable investing options.
• 3a-Konto (Pillar 3a Account) Tax-advantaged pension savings account (Swiss pillar 3a) for retirement planning with tax benefits.
• Freizügigkeitskonto (Pillar 2 Account) Pillar 2 occupational pension account for transferred pension assets from previous employment.
• AEK E-Banking Digital banking platform enabling 24/7 account management, transactions, and financial overview on notebook, tablet, or desktop.
• AEK TWINT Mobile payment app for QR code payments at checkout, online shops, and vending machines, plus instant money transfers to friends and family.
• Zahlungsverkehr (Payment Traffic) Payment services for executing domestic and international money transfers and transaction processing.
• Jugend-Fondssparplan (Youth Fund Savings Plan) Fee-free investment plan for young people aged 14-24 to build wealth for long-term goals with minimum deposit of CHF 200.00, no transaction or depot fees, and personalized advisory consultation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supports 600 clubs, projects and events annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Schweizerischer BankenombudsmanminorOthersNeutral (and generally free) mediation procedure under FIDLEG for concrete complaints regarding financial services. Address: Bahnhofplatz 9, Postfach, CH-8021 Zürich.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Raiffeisen Schweiz: Raiffeisen Schweiz is a nationwide cooperative banking group with ~225 local cooperative banks across Switzerland. As a Genossenschaft with strong local presence, it is the most structurally similar larger competitor to AEK, offering the same retail and SME products at greater scale.
• PostFinance: PostFinance is Switzerland's leading retail financial services provider for payments and accounts, with nationwide reach. It competes with AEK on retail deposits, payment accounts, and increasingly on mortgages, and is a key benchmark for digital banking in the Swiss market.
• Migros Bank: Migros Bank is one of Switzerland's largest retail banks, focused on private customers with accounts, mortgages, investments, and pensions. It competes head-to-head with AEK on Swiss retail deposits and mortgages, but at national scale.

Direct peers

• Bank Cler: Bank Cler (formerly Bank Coop) is a Swiss cooperative-affiliated retail bank owned by the Basler Kantonalbank, focusing on private customers with accounts, mortgages, and investment products. Its cooperative heritage and retail/SME focus make it a structurally similar peer to AEK BANK 1826's Genossenschaft model.
• Hypothekarbank Lenzburg: Hypothekarbank Lenzburg is an independent Swiss regional bank headquartered in Aargau, with a private-client and mortgage-led franchise. Its emphasis on mortgages, retail deposits, and wealth advisory makes it a direct functional peer to AEK BANK 1826.
• Berner Kantonalbank (BEKB): Berner Kantonalbank is the cantonal bank of Canton Bern, also headquartered in the same canton as AEK BANK 1826. It is a directly comparable regional universal bank offering accounts, mortgages, investment, and pension products to private and business customers across the same geographic footprint AEK serves.
• Valiant Bank: Valiant Bank is a Swiss regional universal bank serving private and SME customers across multiple cantons with a branch-led and digital model. Its product mix (accounts, mortgages, investment, retirement planning) and customer segmentation closely mirror AEK BANK 1826's offering.
• Thurgauer Kantonalbank (TKB): Thurgauer Kantonalbank is a cantonal bank in northeastern Switzerland serving private and business customers with a full universal banking product suite. Like AEK, it competes primarily on regional relationship banking plus digital channels.
• Glarner Kantonalbank (GLKB): Glarner Kantonalbank is a smaller Swiss cantonal bank offering retail and SME banking in its home canton. Its size, product scope (accounts, mortgages, investments), and regional focus are highly comparable to AEK BANK 1826's profile.

Regional players

• Clientis: Clientis is a Swiss group of regional cooperative-affiliated banks focused on retail and SME banking in cantons outside AEK's core Thun territory. Its cooperative-style regional banks offer a directly comparable product set and customer base, though they do not directly overlap AEK's geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AEK_BANK_1826
• Facebookfacebook.com/aekbank1826
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aekbank

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AEK BANK 1826