Switzerland combines a low tax on silver with a very favorable rule when selling, a private individual pays no tax on the gain from private wealth.
When buying
Investment gold is exempt from Swiss VAT. To qualify for the exemption, bars must have a minimum purity of .995 and carry the hallmark of a recognized assayer or refiner, and gold coins must be legal tender and minted by a state.
Silver, platinum and palladium are taxed, at a rate of 8.1%, among the lowest in Europe for these metals. There is a common way to defer this tax, keeping the metal in a Swiss duty-free warehouse without clearing it through customs. As long as it stays under that regime, the tax is not charged.
When selling
Switzerland does not tax the gain a private individual makes from selling private wealth, including physical gold and silver. A Swiss resident can sell precious metals at any time, regardless of the holding period, without paying tax on the gain, provided the transaction is part of managing private wealth and not a professional trading activity.
Reporting and limits
Imported goods worth 150 Swiss francs or more must be declared at Swiss customs, a threshold that in practice affects almost any purchase of physical silver.
When importing
Gold that meets the purity and hallmark requirements enters Switzerland free of Swiss VAT. Imported silver, platinum and palladium pay 8.1% at customs, unless they go directly to a Swiss duty-free warehouse, where the tax is deferred as long as the metal remains under that regime. There is no relevant customs duty on unwrought bars.
Other zones
- United States ·
/en/inversion/fiscalidad/estados-unidos - European Union ·
/en/inversion/fiscalidad/union-europea - United Kingdom ·
/en/inversion/fiscalidad/reino-unido - Canada ·
/en/inversion/fiscalidad/canada - Australia ·
/en/inversion/fiscalidad/australia - Asia ·
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Consulted on September 27, 2026.
- SwissGoldSafe, Various Taxes on Gold in Switzerland, 2026.
- SwissGoldSafe, Investment Silver, Tax Guidance on Swiss Imports, 2026.
This is general information, not a tax service. Consult a tax professional in your country. Figures reviewed on September 27, 2026.