💡 律咖编者按： 本文由律咖网社群读者 pleurobrachia 投稿分享。 为了方便大家阅读，律咖网编辑 JingJing（微信：lvga2015）对原文进行了细致的逻辑润色与合规性整理。希望能给正在 瑞士 创业路上的你带来真实的参考。

I never thought I’d be sitting in a La Chaux-de-Fonds courthouse waiting room, clutching my Thai restaurant’s business license application, while scrolling through Swiss financial news on my phone. But here I am — a 23-year-old from Qinghai,昆明理工大学公共关系学毕业，now running a small Thai food business in a Swiss town where people still use cash for coffee and banks still hold Swiss franc loans from the 2010s like sacred texts.

I came to Switzerland not for the mountains, but because the cost of doing business here — if you know the rules — can be more predictable than in Southeast Asia. But lately, I’ve been hearing whispers. Not about rent hikes or staff shortages. About something deeper: a hidden financial reset happening under the surface, quietly reshaping how small businesses like mine might one day be affected.

It started when my bank sent me a letter — not about my overdraft, but about “Swiss franc loan restructuring mechanisms.” I didn’t have a Swiss franc loan. But I knew someone who did. My landlord. And I knew I needed to understand this — not because I’m a finance expert, but because I’m a restaurant owner who lives on thin margins. If the system shifts, my cash flow could shift with it.

So I dug in.

The Swiss Scissors — PwC Is Cutting the Knot

What I found wasn’t headline news. It was buried in a Swiss Federal Council press digest from last December. By the end of 2025, an institutional framework will be submitted to Parliament to address Swiss-franc-denominated loans totaling €2.5 billion — mostly held by households and small businesses who took them out during the CHF-EUR peg era.

The twist? The calculation of the “haircut” — the amount lenders must forgive — will be determined by a new platform built by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

I didn’t know PwC was doing this. I thought it was the Swiss National Bank. But no. It’s PwC. The same firm that built the out-of-court mediation platform for mortgage disputes in Zurich. They’re being asked to design a system that adjusts the loan balance based on the borrower’s income and asset profile — using the CHF/EUR exchange rate as the baseline.

This isn’t about punishing lenders. It’s about fairness. The old rule — where the haircut was tied to collateral value — was removed last year. Now, it’s about whether the borrower could reasonably afford the repayments when the franc surged. And that’s where the platform comes in.

According to people familiar with the tool, building it will take at least two months. That means the first wave of adjustments won’t happen before mid-2026. But the clock is ticking. If you’re a small business owner with a Swiss franc loan — even if it’s not yours, but your landlord’s — you need to know: this could ripple into rent, supply costs, or even your own financing options.

I asked a local accountant in La Chaux-de-Fonds if this affected restaurants. He said: “If your landlord’s mortgage gets reduced, your rent might not go down — but if he’s forced to sell, you might have to move. That’s the real risk.”

The 0.15% Rule — And Why Your Card Payments Just Got Cheaper

While I was digging into loans, I noticed another quiet change: the new card payment fee caps.

As of early 2026, the average commission for traditional businesses in Switzerland cannot exceed 0.15%. For everyday goods, it’s capped at 0.12%. For online debit card payments, it’s now 0.25%. Visa debit within the EEA? 0.2%. Credit cards? 0.44%.

That’s a big deal for a Thai restaurant. My card terminal used to chew up 0.3% per transaction. Now? It’s down. I didn’t get a letter. My payment processor just updated the rates automatically.

I asked my Swiss bank rep why. She said: “The government decided it was unfair for small shops to pay more than big chains for the same service.” No fanfare. No press release. Just a quiet adjustment — and a 50% reduction in fees for small businesses like mine.

This is the Swiss way: slow, systemic, and silent. But when it lands, it lands hard.

I started tracking my monthly payment fees. Last month, I saved CHF 187. That’s two weeks of garlic paste. That’s one extra night of staff overtime without dipping into my emergency fund.

The Trump Tariff Story — A Warning, Not a Prediction

Then came the news from February 11: U.S. President Donald Trump said he raised tariffs on Swiss goods to 39% because he “didn’t like the way she talked” — referring to Swiss Federal Councilor Karin Keller-Sutter.

I read this with a mix of disbelief and dread.

Let me be clear: this is not about trade deficits. It’s about perception. And perception — especially in international politics — can turn into policy faster than any Swiss regulatory committee.

Switzerland isn’t China. It’s not the U.S. It’s not even the EU. It’s a neutral country that trades heavily with both. And now, a tweet from Washington could mean higher costs for my imported Thai rice, my coconut milk, my Thai basil — all shipped through Swiss logistics hubs.

I checked my supplier invoices. My rice is still priced in USD. But if Swiss import duties rise, my distributor will pass it on. No one will say, “This is because of Trump’s grudge.” They’ll just say, “Costs went up.”

I’ve already started asking: Can I source more ingredients from Thailand directly? Can I negotiate longer payment terms? Can I build a buffer?

Because in Switzerland, you don’t wait for the storm. You prep for it while the sky is still blue.

📌 FAQ: What Should a Small Business Owner in La Chaux-de-Fonds Do Now?

Q1: Should I be worried about Swiss franc loans if I don’t have one?

A: Not directly — but indirectly, yes.

  • Step 1: Identify if your landlord, supplier, or partner has a Swiss franc loan.
  • Step 2: Ask if they’ve received any communication from their bank about “loan restructuring” or “PwC platform.”
  • Step 3: If yes, monitor for rent or supply cost changes in Q3 2026.
  • Key Points:
    • The PwC platform is still under development.
    • No one is being forced to pay more — but lenders may adjust pricing if borrowers qualify for relief.
    • If your landlord’s mortgage is reduced, your rent won’t automatically drop — but if they’re pressured to sell, your lease could be at risk.

Q2: How do I benefit from the new card fee caps?

A: You already are — if you use card payments.

  • Step 1: Log into your payment processor’s portal (e.g., PostFinance, SIX, or your bank’s merchant dashboard).
  • Step 2: Check your “transaction fees” section — you should see a drop to 0.12–0.25% for debit.
  • Step 3: Reinvest the savings: stock up on non-perishables, upgrade your POS system, or fund a loyalty program.
  • Key Points:
    • The cap applies to all Swiss merchants, regardless of size.
    • Online payments are now cheaper than ever — push digital ordering.
    • Cash is still king in rural areas — don’t abandon it.

Q3: Should I prepare for U.S.-Switzerland trade tensions?

A: Yes — not because it’s certain, but because it’s possible.

  • Step 1: Audit your supply chain: Which items are imported via Switzerland? Which are from countries exposed to U.S. tariffs?
  • Step 2: Contact your Swiss distributor and ask: “Are you seeing any changes in import duties or logistics costs?”
  • Step 3: Explore alternative sourcing: Thailand → direct shipping → Swiss customs clearance.
  • Key Points:
    • U.S. tariffs on Switzerland are not yet implemented.
    • The 39% figure is a threat — not a law.
    • But perception drives behavior. If Swiss logistics firms start pricing in risk, your costs rise.

Final Thoughts — What This Means for Me

I came to Switzerland because I thought it was stable. I was wrong. It’s not stable — it’s adaptive. And that’s better.

I don’t need to understand every legal clause. I don’t need to be a tax lawyer. I just need to know:

  • When something is changing.
  • Who’s in charge of the change.
  • What the ripple effects might be.

I’m not rich. I don’t have investors. I’m just a young woman from Qinghai, running a Thai kitchen with one stove and a lot of hope. But I’m learning to read the silence between the headlines.

The Swiss don’t shout. They adjust. And if you’re quiet enough — and observant enough — you can adjust with them.

I’ve started saving 10% of every profit. Not for expansion. For resilience.

And I’ve added JingJing’s微信: lvga2015 — not because I need help. But because I want to hear what others are seeing.

We’re not building empires here. We’re building habits. One payment, one lease, one ingredient at a time.

🔗 延伸阅读

🔸 ‘Didn’t like the way she talked’: How a phone call pushed Trump to hit Switzerland with 39% tariffs
🗞️ 来源: economictimes_indiatimes – 📅 2026-02-11
🔗 阅读原文

🔸 ‘Didn’t Like The Way Swiss Leader Talked’: Trump On Why He Raised Switzerland Tariffs To 39%
🗞️ 来源: news18 – 📅 2026-02-11
🔗 阅读原文

🔸 Trump says he raised tariffs on Switzerland because he ‘didn’t like the way they talked to’
🗞️ 来源: express – 📅 2026-02-10
🔗 阅读原文

📌 免责声明

请知悉：律咖网（Lvga.com）是跨境创业公开信息与内容分享平台，不提供法律、税务、会计或合规服务。
本文内容基于公开资料，并由人工编辑与 AI 工具协助整理，仅供信息参考之用，不构成任何法律、投资、移民或商业决策建议。
政策可能随时间变化，请以官方渠道与当地持牌专业人士意见为准。
如内容有需要修订之处，欢迎随时与我联系。