I've got some Swiss Francs in a couple of regular accounts in Switzerland as a result of having recently lived there.

However, I'm not 100% convinced that mainstream Swiss banks are any more safe than the UK ones: CS and especially UBS have had big sub-prime hits and there are all sorts of rumours about UBS as a result.

Is there some NS&I style system in Switzerland where I could 'safely' hold the CHF?

Also, will be moving a proportion back now, to stuff into NS&I as the exchange rate is so good. I don't really think it'll go that much further in CHFs favour as the Swiss govt are likely to take measures to devalue the Franc, surely? I know that in the past they enforced negative interest rates to stop people piling into the currency as a safe haven and making their exports uncompetitive.

Any opinions?

I have some in citibank but Im not happy about that. Im thinking of opening a HSBC offshore account that can store CHF.

I was asking about swiss bank accounts. Which bank do you use?

do any of the big UK banks do a currency trading account?

i'm interested in CF at the mo but it would be nice to have the
option to switch out quickly to another currency if need be.

i've asked my own bank (nat west) can do accounts in certain
currencies but not an account where i can pick and choose at
will.

I have a couple of legacy accounts from my time living there, with UBS and Credit Suisse. I don't know what you'd have to go through to open a new one as a foreigner and nonresident though.

Service is good in my experience and the eBanking is much more secure than what I've seen in the UK. Also, very easy to transfer funds and local Swiss interbank transfers occur overnight.