Harmonization
PostFinance and the other banks are harmonizing their credit transfer schemes to streamline complex formats, procedures, and payment slips that have evolved over time. Processes will be automated end to end and aligned on the basis of the international ISO 20022 standard.
Financial services industry initiative
With more than a billion credit transfers a year, payment traffic’s vitally important to Switzerland. The financial services industry initiative supports the digital transformation of the economy and society, assures automated compliance throughout the process, and boosts Swiss business attractiveness.
Payment area
Harmonization will facilitate global trade of goods and services. Switzerland is acting in harmony with its European partners and the trend to globally recognized technology standards. This guarantees straightforward transfer chains and assures security of investment in the long term.
Cooperation
Standardized message types make communication between financial institutions and their clients quicker and more precise. Financial institutions are supporting their corporate clients and working hand in hand with software providers on implementation, which is in full swing.
Readiness
Why change if everything works fine? People are very satisfied with the payment transfer system, but no industry is immune to technological change. They have to adapt. The changeover is under way. For it to be a success, the necessary steps have to be taken in good time.
Advantages
Digitally readable QR codes will significantly reduce the manual work involved and reduce error rates in credit transfers. This will save private individuals and SMEs time and money, and enable companies to optimize their cash management and costs of capital.
Security
The QR code, part of the digital routine in many industries, is also finding its way into the payment transfer system. It is regulated by international standards, secure, easy to use, and with the appropriate app can be scanned by any smartphone. The underlying systems are reliable and secure.
Compliance
After the changeover all the data necessary to assess risks will flow to the recipient’s bank. This will enable full, automated compliance with the anti-money laundering legislation. The international ISO 20022 standard will facilitate efficient adaptation to future requirements.
Digital Switzerland
Harmonization of the payment transfer system will boost the digitization of Switzerland and facilitate the transformation taking place in many areas of business and society. The change is being made responsibly, taking account of all sections of the population and businesses.
News
Facts & figures
Backbone of the economy
A highly available payments infrastructure is the foundation of economic coexistence and the backbone of the Swiss economy.
Systemically relevant
Although payment traffic is just as important to Switzerland as the water and electricity supply, it’s provided by the private sector.
1 In terms of gross value added (2014) and number of employees (2015). 2 In terms of importance to the economic cycle and the provision of basic supplies, and in terms of substitutability. 3 Excluding payment traffic
Source: Deloitte (2016): Study into the impact of payment system harmonization in Switzerland
Economically relevant
Payment systems make a key contribution to Switzerland’s overall economic output by supporting the entire range of domestic and international business processes.
High-powered
The Swiss payment system is one of the quickest and most secure in the world. To ensure it remains at the head of the field, it’s being further automated on the basis of ISO 20022.
Automated end to end
The banks and PostFinance are working on a single payment scheme based on ISO 20022; direct debit procedures are being standardized and built into the e-billing process, transaction processing is being automated end to end, and the QR code is being used to digitize payment processes for corporations and private individuals.
Trend to digital
The trend to digital payments will accelerate in the next few years with the advent of ISO 20022 and the new QR code.
Responsible structural change
The Swiss financial industry is taking a very responsible approach to digital transformation. Even after the introduction of the QR code it will be possible to make paper-based payments by post, at a bank or post office, or enter payments manually via e-banking.
QR-bill
QR-bill replaces payment slips
The seven different types of payment slip will give way to a digitally readable QR code containing all payment-related data. The new solution, called the QR-bill, will make it easier for businesses and consumers to handle invoices and credit transfers. Companies will be able to print out QR-bills themselves, and recipients of bills will be able to initiate payments with only a few clicks using a smartphone or other reader. It will be possible to read all the information necessary for the payment without technical equipment. People will still be able to make payments at the post office counter or by mail, or enter them manually via e-banking. The schedule for the introduction of the QR-bill will be announced by PaymentStandards.CH on 27 April 2017 along with the technical specifications.
First ISO 20022, then the QR-bill
The QR-bill can only be introduced once the changeover to ISO 20022 has been completed all over Switzerland. The schedule for the introduction of the QR-bill will be announced by PaymentStandards.CH on 27 April 2017 along with the technical specifications.
Blog
The latest developments in the harmonization and standardization of payment traffic in Switzerland.
Nicole Walker__Head of Product Management Payment Solutions, PostFinance Ltd, Member of the Swiss Payments Council
Capital works better without paper
David Wiesner__Member of the Board of Directors of SIX Interbank Clearing Ltd, Member of the Executive Committee of RBA Holding Ltd and Entris Banking Ltd
Good reason for clients to be happy: greater competition
Jean-Marc Hensch__CEO of Swico
Pixels versus media breaks
Urs Bieri__co-director of gfs.bern
People don’t like giving up old habits
Video
About us
Driving digital Switzerland together
Activating Digital Switzerland is an information campaign run by PaymentStandards.CH, the Swiss financial industry’s official communications platform for the standardization and harmonization of payment traffic. The changeover to the international ISO 20022 standard will enable more highly automated payment transactions. To implement the infrastructure project the financial industry is working closely with business and the ICT industry. Together they are driving digital transformation and helping give the whole of Switzerland a boost.
Partners
We’re helping boost the digitization of Switzerland.
Contact
You can reach us at the following address:
PaymentStandards.CH
Hardturmstrasse 201, 8021 Zürich
You’ll find more information for organizations and software providers at
www.paymentstandards.ch
© 2017 SIX Interbank Clearing Ltd. All rights reserved.