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JENS BERGERMANN

The Swiss e-commerce market is attractive but presents unique challenges for international brands. One of the most important local conditions is the enormous dominance of the mobile payment solution TWINT. With over six million active users by mid-2025, the app is firmly anchored in the daily lives of Swiss consumers. For you as a brand, this means: successful sales in Switzerland largely depend on whether you meet local expectations—and in payments, TWINT is the unavoidable standard.

This article explains why TWINT is crucial for your success, what direct advantages it offers you on marketplaces, and how you can offer this essential payment method even without your own business presence in Switzerland.

What is TWINT and Why Does It Dominate Swiss E-Commerce?

TWINT is far more than just another payment app. It is the leading mobile payment solution in Switzerland, directly linked to users' bank accounts or credit cards. Its origin story explains its current market dominance: TWINT was launched in 2017 as a joint project of major Swiss financial institutions such as UBS, Zürcher Kantonalbank, PostFinance, and Raiffeisen. This broad support from the established banking sector created enormous trust among the population from the very beginning.

Its high acceptance and rapid spread are based on three key success factors:

• Maximum Simplicity: The payment process via QR code is significantly faster and more convenient for customers than manually entering credit card details. This greatly simplifies the checkout process.

• High Trust: As a product of Swiss banks, TWINT enjoys a level of trust that international payment providers find difficult to achieve. Consumers rate its security and data protection as very high.

• Widespread Adoption: With an acceptance rate of over 84% in Swiss online shops, TWINT is not just an option, but the standard payment method expected by many customers.

Why is TWINT Crucial for Your Success on Marketplaces?

Offering the right payment methods is not a detail, but a decisive factor for the conversion rate. Studies on Swiss e-commerce show that around 71% of buyers abandon a purchase if their preferred payment option is not available. This effect is particularly pronounced with TWINT, as Swiss consumers view the app as "their" national solution and often perceive a lack of integration as a failure to adapt to the local market.

For you as a brand, this results in direct and measurable advantages:

• Increased Conversion Rate: By offering TWINT, you meet the expectations of Swiss customers and minimize cart abandonment at checkout. A successful sale on Swiss marketplaces often hinges on such local adaptations.

• Building Customer Trust: The logo of a trusted, local payment method signals professionalism, lowers the purchase barrier, and positions your brand as a professional provider in the Swiss market.

• Encouraging Impulse Buys: The simple and fast payment process with TWINT is ideal for mobile users and encourages impulse purchases, as the barrier to completing the transaction is extremely low.

It is therefore no surprise that all major Swiss marketplaces like Galaxus, Manor, or Brack.ch have prominently integrated TWINT and feature it as one of the most important payment methods.

The Challenge for International Brands – and the Solution

This is where international companies face the biggest hurdle: to receive TWINT payments as a retailer, a Swiss business account and a Swiss company headquarters are mandatory requirements. Registration with TWINT AG and its partner banks is not possible without this local presence. Even global corporations have to rely on local payment service providers for the connection, which involves additional costs and technical effort.

This is precisely where the solution lies in collaborating with a specialized local sales partner. As a Swiss company, SURS has the necessary infrastructure to handle the entire payment processing, including TWINT, for you.

The process is incredibly simple: we list your products on the relevant marketplaces and act as your "Merchant of Record." End customers pay conveniently via TWINT to us, and we take care of the entire transaction. This way, you benefit from all the advantages of this essential payment method without having to build a costly and complex Swiss corporate structure yourself. Learn more about how SURS can support you.

From our experience, another often overlooked advantage emerges: TWINT is not just a payment method but also offers a powerful marketing platform through the "TWINT Deals" in the app. Since the app is used by millions, offers placed there generate enormous traffic. Brands working with partners like SURS gain access to such exclusive placements, which not only boosts sales but also significantly increases brand awareness in Switzerland.

Conclusion: Without TWINT, No Maximum Success on Swiss Marketplaces

In summary, TWINT is not a trend but the established standard in Swiss payments. For international brands wanting to succeed on platforms like Galaxus or Manor, offering this payment method is essential to win consumer trust and maximize the conversion rate.

"TWINT has become a new standard, and you simply have to have it to play the game. It's no longer just an optimization story, but a basic requirement. If you don't offer it, it simply seems odd to customers in Switzerland." – Jens Bergermann (Founder of SURS)

There is often a misunderstanding among international brands that the Swiss market is extremely complicated due to the many payment options and regulations. This is true if you try to handle everything through your own webshop from abroad—often lacking the necessary documents like a commercial register extract or a Swiss VAT number for payment service providers. 

However, in collaboration with a distributor like SURS, this complexity is completely eliminated, as we, as a local partner, take over the goods and have already solved all regulatory and payment-related hurdles for you.

The right local strategy is the key to a successful market entry—and the integration of TWINT is an indispensable part of it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do we, as a foreign brand, need a Swiss bank account for TWINT?

Yes, for a direct connection to TWINT, a Swiss business account is a mandatory requirement of TWINT AG and its partner banks. A sales partner like SURS solves this requirement for you, as we, as a Swiss company, handle the entire payment processing through our existing accounts, thus enabling you to access TWINT.

What are the transaction fees for TWINT?

Transaction fees vary depending on the provider and transaction volume but are typically between 1.3% and 1.7%. This often puts them at a similar level or even cheaper than many credit card payments. Detailed information on the conditions for retailers can be found directly on the official TWINT for business customers page.

Is there a cart value above which customers prefer to use a credit card?

No, in practice, we do not see such a threshold. Our internal analyses show that TWINT has now even surpassed the credit card and is the number 1 most popular payment method—followed by credit card and purchase on account. Today, it's less a matter of the amount and more a matter of habit: TWINT is the dominant standard across all price categories.

Is TWINT safe for our customers?

Absolutely. TWINT is subject to the strict security standards of Swiss banks and is regulated by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA). During a payment, no sensitive card or account data is transmitted to the retailer. The security is thus on par with the high level of Swiss e-banking, which significantly contributes to the high user trust.

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