But how many pension funds are there actually in this country? Most people significantly underestimate the figure, because it has changed considerably over the years.
At the end of 2024 there were around 1,300 pension funds in Switzerland. That sounds like a lot, but it is the result of a long consolidation. Around the turn of the millennium there were still several thousand. Since then the number has fallen year after year, because many smaller company-owned funds join collective and joint foundations. The reason is understandable: regulation, investment complexity and costs are easier to manage in larger units.
Even so, the Swiss pension landscape remains exceptionally diverse by international comparison. This diversity is a piece of Swiss character: decentralised, close to companies and their employees, and grown organically over the decades.