FAQ

Frequently asked questions

About neon Account Cash neon Mastercard® Payment Invest Spaces Profile Security Problems

As long as you fulfil the requirements, all you need to do is download the app in the Apple Store, Google Play Store or Huawei AppGallery. Take your smartphone, passport or ID (and your foreigner's permit B/C) and sit for about 10 minutes in a quiet corner with a good internet connection and follow the in-app instructions. In these 10 minutes you'll enter your personal info, confirm them via (free) video call or via Photo-ID and set your login code. Done, we'll take care of the rest! Details on identification here.


Like neon? Invite your friends to neon. If they also open an account with neon, not only will you both hopefully enjoy a great product, but you'll also (both!) get 10 CHF.



To do so, go to «Profil» and «Invite a friend» in the neon app. There you can find your personal referral code and can directly share it with your friends. They will then have to enter your code during the account opening. 



A referral is considered successful when your friend has fully opened the account. You will both receive the referral bonus 5-7 days later directly onto your neon account.


To find your neon friends. We want to make payments as simple and fast as they can be. Allow neon access to your phone book to see other people with neon accounts as possible recipients. You'll be able to pay your coffee back with even less clicks than usual. Delete individual contacts with a simple swipe left.
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) defines certain conditions to prevent money laundering and fraud that apply to all Swiss banks. One of these is that the bank has to verify your identity before opening your account. You do this by confirming your personal info via video call or via Photo-ID. neon needs your data to offer you the neon services like analyses and to make your everyday finances easier. neon does not forward or sell your private information to anyone unless you've explicitly agreed to that or we're bound by the law to do so. You can read about all that in detail in our Privacy Policy for the neon app.
neon needs your data to offer you the neon services like analyses and to make your everyday finances easier. Of course, neon does not forward or sell your private information to anyone unless you've explicitly agreed to that or we're bound by the law to do so. All information about your banking is held in Switzerland with our partner, Hypothekarbank Lenzburg. You can read about all that in detail in our Privacy Policy for the neon app.
After completing the video call or Photo-ID, you'll set your own login code. Normally, you'll get your contract number 1-2 working days afterwards. Why? We check your data before opening your account.

If you entered a voucher code or a referral code, we'll transfer it to you after you've topped up your account. Normally, it'll be in your account within 5 to 7 working days after we've opened your account. If not, please send us an email.


At the moment our partner in identity verification is not able to identify all documents from all countries according to FINMA-standards. Here you'll find a list of all the documents we are able to verify. We currently have no alternative of opening an account for you.


If that is the case, it means that everyone wants neon. :) But we will make it really uncomplicated for you. You don't have to constantly check back. As soon as we're ready, we'll send you an email.

Could be for a number of reasons. Best to just shoot us a message and we will put our best investigators on it.


We’re very sorry to hear that, but we want to make things easy for you. If you’re certain that you want to close your account, first transfer the remaining sum from your neon account to an account with another bank. As soon as your balance with neon reaches 0 CHF, you can close your account yourself in the app. To do so, go to «Profile», «Security» and «Close account». You will receive a confirmation by e-mail and SMS that we have received the request. And an email as soon as the cancellation has been processed. Please note that you cannot reactivate your account nor open a new account with us. Your neon Mastercard will stop working immediately and all open future payments, standing orders, eBills, and direct debits will no longer be executed.


Whether you're tall or short, old or young, have a lot of money or are always skint, whether you prefer tea or coffee, are a cat or dog person - we couldn't care less. All you need is to be over 16, a Swiss domicile, be a resident for tax purposes exclusively in Switzerland and a valid identity document from one of these countries (in combination with a B/C foreigner's permit).


In principle, yes. With your contract number and login code you can log in to your neon account on any device on which the neon app is installed. In order to make payments, however, you'll have to activate the «new» device. To do so, you can create an activation code on the device on which your neon account is already active (i.e. your «old» device) by going to «Profile», clicking on «Security», and «Generate activation code». Then, enter this activation code in the neon app on your «new» device in the «Profile» tab under «Activate device».


For tax and regulatory reasons we can currently only accept users that are exclusively domiciled and tax domiciled in Switzerland.


A joint acount is not possible currently. But we know you'd really love that option, so we're working on figuring out a way to make it happen. We'll let you know as soon as anything changes. In the meantime, they may want to open their own neon account - after all, it's free, and if you use your personal referral code, you'll get 10 CHF each.


A second account/subaccount is not possible currently. But we know you'd really love that option, so we're working on figuring out a way to make it happen. We'll let you know as soon as anything changes.


We cannot offer you a business account, as neon is a purely private account (this also applies to freelancers). This means that you are not allowed to use it for business purposes. As a private person, you are of course always welcome.


Yes, you receive interest on the total balance in your Spaces – the interest does not apply to the balance on your main account.



As of 01.07.2023, the following interest rates are in effect:

0 - 25'000 CHF: 0.9% 

above 25'000 CHF: 0.65% 



Between 01.04.2023 and 30.06.2023, you received 0.4% interest on the total balance in your Spaces (up to 25'000 CHF).

Between 01.01.2023 and 31.03.2023, you received 0.15% interest on the total balance in your Spaces (up to 25'000 CHF).

The interest will be paid out at the end of each year. 



You can find the Spaces in your neon app in the «Transactions» tab at the top, right next to your main account.



Click here to go to our Spaces blog with more information. 


No, we no longer charge negative interest as of 1 October 2022. Yes, none at all!



Note: we charged negative interest in the period from 1 July 2022 to 30 September 2022. There were no negative interest on amounts of up to 99'999 CHF, −0.25% on amounts of 100'000 CHF or more, and −0.50% on amounts of 125'000 CHF or more. 



From 30 September 2021 to 30 June 2022 there was no negative interest on amounts of up to 99'999 CHF, −0.75% on amounts of 100'000 CHF or more, and −1% on amounts of 125'000 CHF or more. 



The negative interest applied to the amount above 100’000 CHF or 125’000 CHF and was debited to your neon account at the end of each year.


The tax statement will be available in the app every year from mid-January. You will find it under «Profile», then «Account statements» and «Tax statement». NB: The amount on the tax statement may differ slightly from the amount you saw on your account at the end of December if some transactions have not yet been posted.


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