Swiss Financial Accounts: Household wealth in 2020 and focus article

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Financial and real estate wealth of households increases The Swiss National Bank is today publishing data on Q4 2020 as part of the financial accounts. Thus, household wealth data are now also available for the full year. Overall, financial assets held by households increased by CHF 108 billion to CHF 2,851 billion (up 3.9%) in 2020. High capital losses in Q1 2020 due to falling stock market prices were followed by a recovery during the remainder of the year. Both transactions and capital gains contributed to this recovery.

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The market value of real estate owned by households grew by CHF 94 billion to CHF 2,212 billion (up 4.4%) in 2020, principally due to rising real estate prices. Liabilities, which consist mainly of mortgages, rose by CHF 25 billion to CHF 934 billion (up 2.7%). The net worth of households (financial and real estate assets less liabilities) also increased and stood at CHF 4,129 billion (up CHF 177 billion or 4.5%) at the end of 2020.

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Focus article on development of household wealth in Switzerland

The SNB is today publishing a focus article on the development of Swiss household wealth over the past 20 years on its data portal (data.snb.ch, Resources/Swiss economic affairs/Focus articles). The focus article describes the driving forces behind the doubling of wealth and compares the trend in Switzerland with that observed in other countries.

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS IN A NUTSHELL

The financial accounts form part of Switzerland’s system of national accounts. They show the financial assets and liabilities of the economy’s institutional sectors – non-financial and financial corporations, general government, and households. The financial accounts data are presented as balance sheets for each sector and are broken down by financial instrument. In addition to stocks, information is provided on transactions, capital gains and losses, and statistical changes and reclassifications.

In order to present a comprehensive picture of household wealth, the balance sheet of households combines data on household financial assets and liabilities derived from the financial accounts with an estimate of household real estate assets. The assets side comprises financial assets and real estate at market value; the liabilities side presents loans and other accounts payable. The balance of assets and liabilities is designated the net worth of households.

Data portal

data.snb.ch, Table selection/Swiss economic affairs/Financial accounts

Data on the financial accounts and household wealth can be accessed here in the form of charts and configurable tables. Annual data are currently available for the period 1999 to 2020. Quarterly data are available from Q4 2014 to Q4 2020. Detailed notes on the methods used for the financial accounts and information on changes and revisions can also be found on the data portal.

Focus articles

data.snb.ch, Resources/Swiss economic affairs/Focus articles

Focus articles exploring selected topics relating to the Swiss financial accounts are published once a year on the SNB’s data portal.

About SNB

The Swiss National Bank conducts the country’s monetary policy as an independent central bank. It is obliged by the Constitution and by statute to act in accordance with the interests of the country as a whole. Its primary goal is to ensure price stability, while taking due account of economic developments. In so doing, it creates an appropriate environment for economic growth.

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