findependent is now your account-holding securities firm

Name: findependent
Brand: findependent
Rating: 4.9 (123 reviews)

How to make your move

We are absolutely thrilled! After almost two years of hard work, we’ve done it: The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) has granted us the licence as an account-holding securities firm.

This means we are no longer just an asset manager, but can now manage our clients’ accounts and custody accounts ourselves.

Since the end of February, all our new clients have already benefited from this. Now we are taking the next big step: All of our over 25’000 existing clients can now move their account and custody account to findependent and benefit as well.

To ensure your switch goes smoothly, you will find all the necessary information and answers to the most important questions about the move on this page.

You still have questions? No problem. We are happy to help.

service@findependent.ch

+41 62 552 02 04

The essentials in a nutshell

Why are we switching and what’s in it for you?

With the new FINMA licence as an account-holding securities firm, findependent can manage accounts and custody accounts itself in the future.

To ensure you also receive your new account and custody account at findependent and so you can benefit from all the advantages, a switch is required. Don’t worry, we’ve made everything as easy as possible. You can simply start in the app as soon as you receive a notification during login. The whole process shouldn’t take longer than 5 minutes. As simple as you’re used to from us.

And what’s in it for you?

More speed: Your deposits and ETF transactions will be displayed much faster in the app in the future.
More service: Our service will become even more efficient while remaining just as personal as it is today.
More choice: Look forward to Pillar 3a investment solutions in the second half of the year. As a small thank you, an exclusive launch offer will await you as an existing client 😉
More investment: Your money should work for you. That’s why we are reducing the cash portion in your portfolio from 2% to just 1%.
And many more little things…

What stays the same for you?

Don’t worry, apart from the new advantages mentioned above, hardly anything changes for you in your day-to-day life. We are keeping everything that has proven its worth:

App: Most things remain familiar and reliable. You don’t need to download a new app. However, you can already look forward to a comprehensive overhaul of the app with the launch of our Pillar 3a offering.
Login: Everything stays the same. You log in with your usual access data.
Fees: Remain as fair and affordable as always. And of course: your fee-free allowance moves along with you.
Data: Safety first. Your data will be transferred automatically and perfectly protected to the account-holding securities firm.
Investments: Your ETFs are your ETFs. Nothing is sold and everything remains in your name.
Support: We are still here for you. Just as you know us: at eye level, honest, personal, and uncomplicated.
Security: As an account-holding securities firm, findependent meets exactly the same high requirements for capital, liquidity, and cyber security as a bank. Your account balance continues to be protected by deposit insurance, and your ETFs remain your property at all times as segregated assets.

What do I need to do on my end?

We have kept the process as lean as possible for you.

As soon as everything is ready, you will receive a notification the next time you log in to the app. If you have 5 minutes to spare, simply click on “Do it now” and start the switch. Done? That’s all there is to it on your part!

We’ll take care of the rest in the background. The switch usually only takes a few days. Of course, you can continue to use your app as usual during this time.

Once everything has been successfully completed, we will, of course, send you a confirmation email.

After that, you can simply log in to the app as usual. Everything stays the same, just a touch better!

What exactly is an account-holding securities firm and why is it an upgrade for me?

We are not just “a finance app”, but a fully regulated Swiss financial institution: findependent now holds a licence as an account-holding securities firm.

This means we are subject to the direct supervision of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) – just like the major Swiss banks. We must meet extremely strict requirements regarding capital, liquidity, cyber security, and risk management.

Main differences: Asset manager vs. account-holding securities firm vs. Bank:

	Asset manager	Account-holding securities firm	Bank
Deposit insurance up to 100’000 francs	Yes (via a partner bank)	Yes	Yes
Accounts and custody accounts for securities business	No	Yes	Yes
Strict requirements for liquidity, capital, and cyber security	No (lower requirements)	Yes	Yes
Savings accounts and loans	No	No	Yes

What does this mean for you? You enjoy the same level of security with us as with a bank, while also benefiting from everything that makes findependent so special. We remain radically simple, use state-of-the-art technology, offer fair, low fees, and provide support on equal footing.

Does the switch cost me anything?

Short and sweet: No. The switch to the account-holding securities firm is completely free of charge for you. There are no fees for the move, and we are not selling any of your investments. Your ETFs simply move with you one-to-one. No detours and no costs.

Everything about the switch in the app

How does the switch work?

We have made the entire process as simple as possible: everything takes place directly via your app.

Step by step to your upgrade:

The notification: As soon as we are ready for your move, you will receive a notification the next time you log in to the app.
Your click: If you have 5 minutes to spare, simply click on “Do it now” to start the switch.
Your transfer order: You sign both transfer orders (one for Hypothekarbank Lenzburg and one for us) conveniently and digitally so that we can tackle the move together.
Your new contracts: Now you just need to sign your new contracts and you’re done!
Our turn: We’ll take care of the rest in the background. The actual switch usually takes a few days. Of course, you can continue to use your app as usual during this time.
The confirmation: As soon as everything has been successfully completed, we will send you a confirmation email.

Afterwards, you simply log in as usual. Everything stays the same, just a touch better!

I don’t see a notification in the app? How can I switch anyway?

Don’t worry. As soon as we are ready for your personal move, the notification will automatically appear the next time you log in to the app.

Did you click the notification away (by mistake)? No problem! Simply close the app completely and log in again. The invitation to switch should then reappear.

Still not working? Just get in touch with us at service@findependent.ch or call us at +41 62 552 02 04. We’re happy to help!

Can I interrupt the switching process in the app?

Sure, no stress! If the timing isn’t right, you can simply close the switching process. The next time you log in to the app, the notification will reappear, and you can start over whenever you’re ready.

Good to know: At some point, however, we will need to complete the move and won’t be able to push it back any further.

If you’re still unsure or have questions until then, just get in touch with us at service@findependent.ch or call us at +41 62 552 02 04. We’re happy to help!

I couldn’t complete the switching process, what should I do?

No panic, we’ll get this sorted! If it didn’t work the first time, it’s no big deal.

Here’s how to try again: Simply close the app completely and then log in again. Once you’re back in, the notification will automatically reappear, and you can start the switch over again at your own pace.

Still stuck? Just send us a short message at service@findependent.ch or call us directly at +41 62 552 02 04. Together, we’ll find a solution.

Can I still switch if I currently have no money with findependent?

Sure, absolutely! With us, you still only pay fees when you actually invest money.

The advantage: By moving your account to our account-holding securities firm now, you secure your lifelong fee-free allowance for the future. This way, everything is already set to go if you want to invest with us again later. So, it’s worth taking a moment to complete the switch now!

Why do I have to sign three times?

Fair question! To ensure that everything is formally correct during your move, we unfortunately need your «okay» in the form of a signature three times:

The transfer order with Hypothekarbank Lenzburg («HBL»): With this, you authorize HBL to transfer your ETFs to your new custody account free of charge and subsequently balance your previous findependent account.
The transfer order with us: So that we can handle the administrative side of the switch for you.
Your new investment management agreement: So that we may continue to invest your money for you as usual in our new setup. You can find the most important information about this in this FAQ.

Don’t worry, the whole thing is done quickly and takes less than 5 minutes in total. And if you have any questions about the documents, we are, of course, personally here for you as always.

Why do I have to sign an asset management agreement again and what is changing?

In order for us to carry out the switch together and for you to benefit from all the innovations, an updated asset management agreement is required between us. Since we are now your official account-holding securities firm, the legal basis and the location where your money is booked are changing. That’s why we need your formal “go” for the new agreement once more.

Just read through it at your leisure. And if you have any questions, feel free to contact us. Here is a brief summary of the most important changes for you:

Contracting parties: Hypothekarbank Lenzburg is being replaced as a direct contracting party for account management. Now findependent is directly responsible for everything. This means for you: no more redundancies and everything centralised in one place.
Investor protection: It’s getting even better! In the new agreement, you are now explicitly classified as a “non-qualified investor”. This is the category with the highest legal investor protection in Switzerland. This ensures that you, as a private individual, are optimally protected.
Investment universe: Since you can now also invest in commodities (gold) and Bitcoin (with a custom solution) through us, we have supplemented the investment universe in the agreement accordingly.
Fees: Nothing changes in our fair pricing. To keep things clear, the exact fee rates are no longer fixed in the contract text, but are clearly listed in a separate fee schedule on our website.

Adjustments: To ensure we don’t need a new signature from you for every small regulatory change, we have introduced an objection clause. If we change something in the agreement, we will of course explicitly inform you in advance. If you do not object within 30 days, the new conditions are deemed accepted. This saves time for both of us.

Who can help me if I have questions or if problems occur?

We are happy to be there for you. Just as you know us: at eye level, honest, personal, and uncomplicated. Just get in touch at service@findependent.ch or give us a call at +41 62 552 02 04.

What happens if I do nothing?

To be honest: that would be a shame! Since the previous platform will be completely shut down after the switch, we will unfortunately no longer be able to continue the previous accounts and custody accounts at Hypothekarbank Lenzburg from the beginning of May.

What does this mean specifically? If you haven’t completed the switch by then, we would unfortunately have to sell your investments, pay out your balance, and terminate the agreement. Of course, we want to prevent this so that your money can continue to work for you undisturbed.

Is there an alternative? If necessary, you can continue your custody account at Hypothekarbank Lenzburg («HBL») on a self-managed basis, i.e. without findependent’s supervision. If you would like to do this, just get in touch with us. We will then look into it together with HBL and clarify the bank’s terms and conditions.

Still unsure? If something is holding you back from switching or if you have any questions, please contact us. We are here for you at service@findependent.ch or by phone at +41 62 552 02 04 and will be happy to help!

Switch completed, now what?

I have finished the switching process in the app, now what?

Perfect! Thank you so much! Now it’s our turn. You can sit back and relax.

What happens next: We are already hard at work behind the scenes moving everything under our own roof. We are coordinating directly with Hypothekarbank Lenzburg to ensure your custody account arrives safely in our new account-holding securities firm.

The whole process usually only takes a few days. You can continue to use your account as usual during this time. There will be no interruption for you. At most, a few minutes of interruption when we make the “click” on our end.

We’ll let you know: As soon as your account has been successfully transferred, you will receive a confirmation email from us. After that, you simply log in to the app as usual. Everything stays the same, just a touch better!

My switch has been confirmed. Do I need to adjust my transfers / standing orders?

Exactly! With the move to our own account-holding securities firm, you will also receive new bank details.

Where can I find the new details? We have already sent your new account information to you by email. However, you can also find it conveniently at any time in your app under «Deposit».

A small but important point: If you have multiple investment goals with us, each goal has its own reference number. Please make sure to include this with every transfer (including standing orders). This is the only way to ensure your money lands exactly where it’s supposed to work for you. Unfortunately, without the correct number, we will have to send the amount back to you 😢.

Don’t panic if mistakes happen: Should a payment accidentally go to your old account at Hypothekarbank Lenzburg, it’s not the end of the world. We will simply forward the money for you during the transition phase.

You can also find all information as well as tips and tricks on our information page regarding deposits.

Where can I find my new IBAN?

We have already sent your new account details, including your IBAN, to you by email. However, you can also find them conveniently at any time in your app under «Deposit».

A small but important point: If you are pursuing multiple investment goals with us, each goal has its own reference number. Please make sure to include this with every transfer (including standing orders). This is the only way to ensure your money lands exactly where it’s supposed to work for you. Unfortunately, without the correct number, we will have to send the amount back to you 😢.

You can also find all information as well as tips and tricks on our information page regarding deposits.