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🇨🇭 Switzerland’s crowdfunding market has emerged as a notable part of the nation’s alternative finance ecosystem, offering new avenues for retail investors. This report explains the crowdfunding landscape in Switzerland, covering market size, growth trends, regulatory rules, and the main platforms available to small investors. In 2024 Swiss crowdfunding (including lending and equity) funded roughly CHF 550 million of projects. Importantly, about 280,000 Swiss residents backed at least one campaign that year, highlighting growing public interest.
We will detail key segments – from crowdlending (loan-based) and equity/crowdinvesting (often real estate) to reward and donation crowdfunding – and profile the top platforms in each. Readers will learn how crowdfunding works in Switzerland, why it matters for investors, and which platforms are leading each niche (e.g. P2P lending, real-estate equity, renewable energy projects, etc.).
Swiss Crowdfunding General Overview
Switzerland’s crowdfunding market is relatively small but maturing. After rapid growth to CHF 791.8m in 2021, volumes dipped to CHF 662.2m in 2022 and stabilized around CHF 550m in 2024. By mid-2025 there were about 38 Swiss crowdfunding platforms in total (23 with active funding). Notably, three platforms exited in 2024 (GoBeyond, Neocredit, Yeswefarm) while two new ones launched (Imvesters for real estate and Solarify for solar projects)f. Despite this plateau in volume, crowdfunding engagement is rising: ~280,000 people supported campaigns in 2024, up 40% from 2023, showing strong retail interest.
The crowdlending (loan) sector dominates. In 2024 it accounted for over three-quarters of volume (CHF 406.1m, +2% YoY)f. Business loans funded via platforms reached CHF 133.6m (stable) and consumer loans CHF 73.1m (+19%). By contrast real-estate loans (via platforms like Swisspeers and Cashare) were CHF 199.4m (–2%). Equity-based investing (“crowdinvesting”) totaled CHF 117.1m (–10.9% YoY) from 78 campaigns. Strikingly, real estate projects led equity deals – CHF 99.5m or 85% of all crowdinvesting. In short, Swiss crowdfunding is driven by loan platforms (for businesses and consumers) and by real-estate equity offerings, with smaller volumes in startup equity, creative projects, and niche causes. Key sectors include real estate development, SME expansion, consumer credit, and growing green-energy ventures.
Regulatory Environment & Associations
Crowdfunding in Switzerland is governed by general financial law (no standalone law). Platforms face FINMA supervision and must follow the Swiss Financial Services Act (FinSA), Financial Institutions Act (FinIA) and AML regulations. In practice, licensing depends on the model:
All platforms handling securities or investment advice must comply with FinSA client rules (due diligence, disclosure). For example, any equity offer to many investors typically needs a public prospectus unless small (e.g. <500 investors or <CHF8m). Platform operators often obtain a FINMA “no-objection” letter to confirm their status. Anti-money-laundering rules (AMLA) also apply when funds are held.
Switzerland is not in the EU’s ECSP regime (the 2020 Crowdfunding Service Providers law), so it relies on domestic rules. To help navigate this landscape, many Swiss platforms joined the Swiss Crowdfunding Association, which promotes best practices and education in the industry. As of 2025 the SCA counts about 6 member platforms (including donative and equity sites) working together to support investors and fundraisers in Switzerland.
Equity Crowdfunding (Startups & SMEs) in Switzerland
Equity crowdfunding lets investors buy shares (or profit shares) in early-stage companies. In Switzerland this segment is growing but remains modest (outside of real estate, which we cover separately). It is mainly used by innovative startups and small businesses that need venture capital. Key Swiss equity platforms include:
Other examples: GoBeyond Investing (across Europe, including Swiss startups) helped raise €27m for SME equity. Many Swiss banks and associations (like SECA) also encourage equity crowdfunding for hi-tech and biotech firms.
Trends: Swiss equity crowdfunding is tightly regulated. Platforms must classify investors and often rely on the small-offer exemption (max CHF 8m) to avoid full prospectus rules. Because of these limits, deals are usually smaller than in bigger markets. Minimum investments vary widely: some startups accept a few hundred CHF, while larger deals may need CHF 10,000+. Overall, equity platforms offer Swiss investors a chance to back local innovation, with potential high returns (and high risks) in tech, health, and green sectors.
Real Estate Crowdfunding in Switzerland
Real estate crowdfunding (crowd-investing in property) is one of the strongest niches in Switzerland. It lets individuals pool money to buy or develop real estate projects. In 2024, real estate deals dominated Swiss crowdinvesting (85% of CHF 117m. Key platforms include:
Large Swiss banks (e.g. Credit Suisse or Raiffeisen) have also experimented with crowdfunding bonds for property. In practice, most Swiss real-estate platforms still require substantial capital – often CHF 25,000–100,000 minimums – so they target wealthy retail or semi-professional investors. Returns come via rental income or property sale profits. Many Swiss property platforms use escrow banks and comply with FINMA rules for securities offerings.
Crowdlending / SME Lending in Switzerland
Crowdlending (debt crowdfunding) for SMEs and corporates is very active. In this model, many investors jointly lend money (with interest) to Swiss businesses. Key Swiss business-lending platforms include:
These platforms typically underwrite each loan individually, so investors can diversify across many loans. In 2024 Swiss business crowdlending totaled CHF 133.6m. Average interest rates vary by risk, usually 4–8%. Borrowers use this finance for expansion, new equipment, or bridging capital. By law, many of these platforms operate as intermediaries with partner banks, and they must follow FINMA guidelines for loan matchmaking. Overall, crowdlending offers Swiss retail investors a higher-yield (and higher-risk) alternative to bank deposits, while providing SMEs access to market funding without going to large banks.
Peer-to-Peer Lending (Private Borrowers) in Switzerland
P2P (peer-to-peer) lending to individuals is similar to crowdlending but for consumer loans. Swiss examples include:
The P2P segment grew to CHF 73.1m in 2024 (up 19%)f. It remains a small part of Swiss credit, but it gives retail investors access to diverse personal loans. Standard borrower screening applies (credit checks), and platforms often require only moderate credentials for borrowers. Investors should note these loans are unsecured and risk default, so diversification is key. Nonetheless, many Swiss P2P lenders offer auto-invest tools or buyback guarantees to help smaller investors participate.
Donation Crowdfunding in Switzerland
Donation crowdfunding in Switzerland involves raising funds without giving financial returns – typically for charities, community projects or personal causes. Prominent platforms include:
In general, donation platforms in Switzerland target community and charitable funding. They charge minimal or no platform fee. Typical Swiss campaigns include charity runs, municipal projects (park benches, libraries), school needs, or even small personal emergencies (medical bills, etc.). While they don’t offer investment returns, donation crowdfunding can be an easy way for Swiss citizens to support causes and for organizers to reach the public (often via social media).
Reward-Based Crowdfunding in Switzerland
Reward (or “pre-sale”) crowdfunding involves backers funding a project in exchange for a product or perk (not equity). In Switzerland, many creative and tech entrepreneurs use global platforms:
Typical reward projects in Switzerland include tech prototypes (gadgets, apps), art films, board games, and cultural events. For example, a Swiss tech startup might get early funding by offering its device at a discount to crowdfunding backers. Platform fees vary (~5-10%). From an investor’s viewpoint, reward crowdfunding is more like advance shopping – you support innovation and get a product or experience later. It’s popular with beginners due to tangible rewards (and even emojis 😊).
Specialized Crowdfunding Niches in Switzerland
Some Swiss platforms focus on very specific themes:
Solar and green energy projects have found success. Solarify (Bern) is a prime example: since 2016 it has raised CHF 24 million by letting people buy shares in Swiss solar panels. The company installs solar arrays on farms, schools and businesses; investors earn returns from electricity sales. Solarify’s crowd has funded over 35,000 panels (14 MW) across 150 projects. This “panel co-ownership” model is pitched as impact investing: backers help the energy transition and get regular payouts.
The Swiss art world also taps crowdfunding. Wemakeit regularly hosts film, art and cultural projects where backers get prints, tickets or DVDs rather than monetary returns. On the high end, RMRK (Switzerland) is an emerging platform linking crowdfunding with NFT collectibles: users invest in digital art or crypto-tokens tied to Swiss creators. Sports and hobby fans also engage: for example, CrowdSports (Zurich) lets supporters invest in local sports clubs or events, sometimes in exchange for memorabilia. While traditional art investment (buying paintings) isn’t done via crowdfunding, these niche platforms show how Swiss crowds can fund creative ventures.
Each specialized niche has its own community of backers. Some Swiss crowdfunding veterans recommend diversifying across themes: for example, a retail investor might split funds between a solar panel share (energy), a creative film (reward), and a peer loan to an SME (debt). By exploring these niche platforms, Swiss investors can pursue both impact and profit in areas like clean energy, culture, or specialty products.