Cheapest way to increase Swiss market exposure through index funds

The dummy dividend payment date is 30.06 when there is no distributing equivalent.

That’s not entirely correct. The fund annual closing date is used as dividend payment date and may vary from one issuer to another.

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From my experience, I saw many month ends: 28.02, 31.03, 31.05, 30.06, 30.09, 31.12 as deemed distribution date for accumulating funds. Some swiss money market funds had something like 15.11, I think.

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Thank you! I learned something today!

I also learned about controversies around new MiFID rules that ban payment for order flow (PFOF) across Europe from 2026.

Spread is my biggest cost and I am mindful about best execution, therefore I will definitely consider index funds with no spread, on the primary market. My ESG biais means that I tend to buy relatively less liquid funds.

The next step is to succeed in buying them, and it may well require using a new broker. Apparently, no cheap (meaning UBS, amazingly) Swiss index fund is available with IBKR (but they have loads of expensive ones) and Degiro.

I see one Small & Mid at Saxo though, with a 0.19% TER.

I think you can request funds to be added. But there would be a fee

Whenever I want to buy any fund, I use Swissquote. They are normally there

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Thank you. So, we answer the initial question as follows:

Degiro doesn’t offer UBS index funds but can list new funds free of charge. Buying them costs 3.90€ + 0.20%.

IBKR publishes a large list of mutual funds, starting at 0.01% TER. Buying them costs 4.95€ for non-US residents. The cheapest Swiss Equity fund in CHF they currently list is from Pictet at 0.17% TER and a solid minimum amount requirement.

Saxo currently lists one UBS fund with 0.10% TER. Buying costs Fr. 8 and they allow to add new instruments for a fee of $200 that is waived for accounts above 1 Mio.

Swissquote currently lists one UBS fund with 0.10% TER. Buying costs Fr. 9 and they allow to add others (for a fee?)

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Curious, did you ask IB if they could list new funds (or share class).

Most funds are already on Swissquote. At least the ones of interest.

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Including CH1178570375, please?

This one is not there
This seems to be ESG variety

They only have standard SPI fund on SQ

That’s institutional-only according to UBS, so I assume Swissquote cannot offer that. CH0597394532 is the retail share class of the same fund, with a slightly higher TER of 0.15%. That one is available at Swissquote.

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Correct!

Fun fact: I already own another share class of the same fund (accumulating, ISIN CH0597394516) on my 3rd pillar Durable 100 at VIAC, who calls it UBS SPI ESG.

It is a pity that VIAC Invest will soon become too expensive.

:backhand_index_pointing_up: ahem… this thread is supposed to be about CH index funds.

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That’s okay, as long as the discussion is interesting and civilized. We can always move things around … at some point :roll_eyes:.

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Would anybody be able to check if DeGiro has CH0315622966?
I know they can add (ETF)s, but did anybody actually try that with Swiss Index Funds?
Do they have any UBS ETFs?

Doesn’t show up for me on DeGiro, if I enter it into the search field. Never tried adding Swiss Index Funds there (or made an according request).

UBS ETF products seem to be readily available (done a quick search especially for the UBS Core products), as you would expect.

Thank you, I was suspecting so. There are no SPI Extra ETFs I think though. I sent them a message - but it seems in that case I might have to look at Saxo.
Not sure though if they have it either.

I did find the UBS comparable fund at IBKR (former CSIF), but that is accumulating.

Because of the 0.20% yearly service fee on investment funds, I decided against buying index funds on my Degiro Custody account.

I did ask them to add an institutional index fund from UBS a few weeks ago. They just declined my request.

I ended up buying a classic UBS ETF at Degiro, for a flat fee of Fr. 2.81 and less than 0.01% spread.

The ETF was rather liquid on the first and last business days of the month, making the spread reasonable in the context of a buy-and-hold investment.

It is the easiest, readily actionable way I found to increase Swiss market exposure for a low fee. Brokerage fees for Swiss exchanges are higher at IBKR.

The worst error I did in the past was buying Vanguard accumulating ETFs on Zürich stock exchange and on a day of poor liquidity, around Christmas. I ended up paying a phenomenal spread of 0.40% on an ETF of mainstream North American stocks. As we say on this side of the Röstigraben, ça me troue encore le luc. So, check the spread, kids :smiling_face_with_tear:

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Look on the bright side: you won’t notice in 20 years.