Long known for its neutrality and financial discretion, Switzerland has extended these values into the digital world. With the revised Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP), in force since September 2023, Switzerland offers companies and organisations a modern legal framework aligning to the EU’s GDPR in scope and clarity. Overseen by the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC), the FADP provides enforceable data subjects’ rights, principles of collecting only the minimum personal data necessary (data minimisation), and lawful processing principles.

Switzerland maintains strict jurisdictional boundaries to access private data. Foreign authorities must go through an established international legal assistance channel to request access to any private data.

The right to privacy is a constitutional right in Switzerland, explicitly protected under Article 13 of the Swiss Federal Constitution. The article guarantees, amongst others, every person the right to privacy in their personal life, in their communications, and protection against misuse of personal data. Building on this foundation, the Digital Strategy of Switzerland places trust, security, and digital sovereignty at the center of the country’s digital transformation. 

This commitment to privacy within various societal and legal dimensions is echoed by different national initiatives, such as the Swiss Digital Initiative (SDI), a non-profit foundation, which promotes ethical standards and accountability in digital services. 

IT-security in Switzerland isn’t just legal—it’s also physically tangible. The country hosts different state-of-the-art data centers, often in former military facilities in the Alps, thus offering exceptional physical security in addition to the stringent data privacy laws. Many operate under FINMA-regulated standards, which apply some of the world’s strictest requirements for data availability, integrity, and confidentiality in the financial sector.

Switzerland’s model—legal commitment and stability, geopolitical neutrality, infrastructure excellence, and digital ethics — makes it more than a mere data host. It makes it a strategic partner for companies looking to future-proof their information assets.

In today’s digital economy, the trust of companies into data centers is also based upon the infrastructure which the data centers use. Switzerland is a place where such infrastructure has been built.