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WhatsApp Business API for Switzerland, under Swiss law

Switzerland sits outside the EU, writes its own data law and speaks four languages. A WhatsApp programme here starts with the revised FADP and the Unfair Competition Act, then the right template for each region.

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Market file · CH
Data law
Revised FADP (SR 235.1), since 1 Sep 2023[1]
Regulator
FDPIC (EDÖB)[2]
Advertising consent
Unfair Competition Act, art. 3(1)(o)[4]
National languages
German, French, Italian, Romansh[5]
Time zone
CET, UTC+1; CEST, UTC+2 in summer[6]
Meta market
Rest of Western Europe (regional rate)

For Indian businesses with customers in Switzerland, and Swiss firms looking at InfiQ: why the revised FADP, not the GDPR, is the starting point, what the Unfair Competition Act requires before a WhatsApp promotion, which templates each language region needs, and the rate for Swiss numbers.

See it work

Revised FADP or GDPR: which one you start from

The question Swiss buyers ask first. The short answer: Swiss law, with the GDPR only where it reaches you.

The revised FADP protects the personal data of natural persons; data about companies is no longer covered. That narrows it for some B2B records, but a buyer's own mobile number is still data about a person, so a WhatsApp list will usually stay inside the act.

The duties a WhatsApp programme meets first are the duty to inform people appropriately when you collect their data (article 19), an impact assessment where processing is likely to create a high risk, and breach notification to the FDPIC (article 24).

The revised FADP against the EU GDPR, for a Swiss sender

7 / 7

Revised FADP

Switzerland's own data-protection act

EU GDPR

The EU regulation, from outside the EU

  1. Revised FADPThe Federal Act on Data Protection, SR 235.1, of 25 September 2020
    EU GDPRThe European Union's General Data Protection Regulation
  2. Revised FADPYes: the revised act has been in force since 1 September 2023
    EU GDPROnly where its extraterritorial scope is triggered; Switzerland is outside the EU and EEA
  3. Revised FADPThe Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC / EDÖB)
    EU GDPRAuthorities in the EU; the FDPIC does not enforce it
  4. Revised FADPReport breaches likely to cause a high risk to the FDPIC as quickly as possible (art. 24)
    EU GDPRIts own duties apply where it applies, alongside the Swiss one
  5. Revised FADPResponsible individuals, up to CHF 250,000 on complaint; the business only up to CHF 50,000 where tracing them is disproportionate
    EU GDPRA separate regime: check it with counsel if the GDPR reaches you
  6. Revised FADPNot set by the FADP: the Unfair Competition Act requires prior consent for mass advertising by telecommunication
    EU GDPRDoes not displace the Swiss rule for a Swiss sender

Verdict

Build a Swiss programme on the revised FADP and the Unfair Competition Act; add the GDPR only where its extraterritorial scope reaches you.

From the FADP text, the FDPIC and the Unfair Competition Act. The GDPR column shows only where the EU regulation stands relative to Swiss law; it is not a summary of the regulation.

Verdict: Build a Swiss programme on the revised FADP and the Unfair Competition Act; add the GDPR only where its extraterritorial scope reaches you.

Compliance

The Swiss rules behind a WhatsApp send

Data protection comes from the FADP; the consent rule for advertising comes from competition law. Six points to plan around.

Under the Unfair Competition Act (UCA, SR 241), sending mass advertising by telecommunication is unfair unless the sender obtained the customer's prior consent, gives its correct identity and offers a simple, free opt-out (art. 3(1)(o)). The act speaks of telecommunication in general and does not name messaging apps.[4]

Regulator: Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC)

  1. Point 1

    The existing-customer route

    A seller that collected a customer's contact details during a sale, and pointed out the opt-out then, may send that customer mass advertising for its own similar goods or services.[4]

  2. Point 2

    Directory notes against advertising

    Under art. 3(1)(u), advertisers must respect a directory note saying a customer does not want advertising from businesses they have no relationship with, and customers without a directory entry are treated the same way. How that reads onto WhatsApp is an interpretation.[4]

  3. Point 3

    Wilful breaches are criminal

    Wilful unfair competition under art. 3, including mass advertising without consent, is prosecuted on complaint and punishable by up to three years' custody or a monetary penalty (art. 23). Customers, trade associations and consumer organisations can also sue (art. 10).[4]

  4. Point 4

    Inform people, assess risk, report breaches

    Controllers must inform people appropriately when collecting their personal data (art. 19), carry out an impact assessment where processing is likely to create a high risk, and notify the FDPIC as quickly as possible of breaches likely to cause a high risk (art. 24). The act protects natural persons only; company data is no longer covered.[1],[3]

  5. Point 5

    Read the binding text

    The UCA wording here comes from the official English translation as at 1 December 2022. English has no legal force in Switzerland, so check the current German, French or Italian text.[4]

  6. Point 6

    WhatsApp's opt-in as well

    Meta's Business Messaging Policy requires a person's opt-in to messages from your business, even where the Swiss existing-customer route would apply.[12]

  7. A summary of public guidance from the sources cited, not legal advice.

Market brief

Switzerland in eight lines

An SME economy that trades mostly with the EU, from the FDFA, SECO, SIX and the JAMES youth study.

  1. 01

    Services generate about 74% of Swiss GDP, industry about 25% and agriculture under 1% (year not stated).[7]

  2. 02

    More than 99% of Swiss businesses are SMEs with fewer than 250 staff.[7]

  3. 03

    The EU takes about 50% of Swiss exports and supplies about 69% of imports; Germany is the largest single partner.[7]

  4. 04

    GDP grew 1.5% quarter on quarter in Q2 2026, adjusted for sporting events, the strongest growth since Q3 2021 (SECO, 3 September 2026).[9]

  5. 05

    German is the main language of more than 60% of the population; French leads in Romandie and Italian in Ticino.[5]

  6. 06

    The Port of Switzerland in Basel is the country's main import and export hub.[8]

  7. 07

    Among messenger users aged 12 to 19, 96% use WhatsApp several times a week or more (JAMES 2024, ZHAW with Swisscom); no verified figure covers adults.[10]

  8. 08

    Since 30 June 2020 Swiss bills have used the QR-bill, a payment slip whose Swiss QR Code holds the payment data.[11]

Four national languages, three template codes

Customer messages follow the customer's language region. Meta's template list covers German and French for Switzerland, plus Italian.

Romansh, the fourth national language, is not on Meta's template list, so Romansh speakers receive templates in German or Italian; replies inside the 24-hour window can be in any language. Swiss German is the language of speech; templates are written in Standard German.

Each language version of a template is approved separately. Route by language region and let customers switch, rather than guessing from a postcode.

Meta template languages relevant to Switzerland
LanguageMeta codeUse it for
German (Switzerland)de_CHGerman-speaking regions; templates in written Standard German
French (Switzerland)fr_CHRomandie
ItalianitTicino and parts of Graubünden; Meta has no separate Swiss code
EnglishenInternational customers and trading counterparties

Industries

What Switzerland sells, and the messages that follow

The FDFA's sector profile, with the WhatsApp work each sector creates.

  1. 01

    Pharmaceuticals and chemicals

    Pharmaceuticals and chemicals account for more than half of Switzerland's exports.[8]

    On WhatsApp: Order and delivery updates to distributors and pharmacies · Documentation requests · No patient data in messages

  2. 02

    Financial centre

    Banking, insurance and pension funds contribute about 9% of Switzerland's value added.[8]

    On WhatsApp: Appointment scheduling · Hand-over to a secure channel · Offers only to opted-in clients

  3. 03

    Commodity trading

    One of the world's main commodity-trading hubs, coordinated mainly from Geneva, Zug and Lugano.[8]

    On WhatsApp: Shipment status for counterparties · Document-ready notices · Logistics updates

  4. 04

    Watchmaking

    Switzerland's third-largest exporting industry, and the world's largest watch exporter by value.[8]

    On WhatsApp: Repair and service status · Collection notices · Clienteling for opted-in customers

  5. 05

    Machinery, electrical engineering and metals

    The MEM industries are Switzerland's largest industrial employer and among its leading exporters.[8]

    On WhatsApp: Service tickets from customers abroad · Spare-parts updates · Technician visits

  6. 06

    Tourism

    Tourism employs around 4% of the workforce, and about half of hotel guests come from abroad, mostly from Germany.[8]

    On WhatsApp: Booking confirmations · Weather and lift updates · Guest support in several languages

Locate it

Geneva to Lugano, on one clock

All of Switzerland keeps Central European Time: three and a half hours behind India in summer, four and a half in winter.

Language changes inside the country; time does not. A broadcast set for 09:30 reaches Geneva, Zug and Lugano together, at 13:00 in India during summer and at 14:00 after the clocks go back on 25 October 2026.

Geneva, Zug and Lugano coordinate much of Switzerland's commodity trading, and the port in Basel is its main import and export hub. Turn the globe to see the country beside the EU, its main trading partner.

Drag or swipe to rotate. Use the arrow keys to rotate, plus and minus to zoom, and 0 to reset.

Prices in ₹ and CHF

What a message to a Swiss number costs

Switzerland has no line of its own on Meta's rate card; Swiss numbers are charged at the Rest of Western Europe rate. Plans start at ₹999 a month.

Snapshot rates · as of 20 Oct 2026, 00:02 UTC

Lite

₹999 / month≈ CHF 8.69 CHF

₹833 / month, billed yearly≈ CHF 7.25 CHF

Everything a growing business needs to run WhatsApp properly.

Growth

₹2,999 / month≈ CHF 26.09 CHF

₹2,499 / month, billed yearly≈ CHF 21.74 CHF

Lite, plus the API, automation and team scale serious senders need.

Enterprise

Custom volume pricing, custom SLA and dedicated infrastructure.

Per message to Switzerland · Rest of Western Europe (regional rate)

InfiQ per-message rates for Switzerland in rupees and CHF
Category₹ INRCHF
Marketing₹5.2054CHF 0.0453
Utility₹1.5019CHF 0.0131
Authentication₹1.5019CHF 0.0131
Service₹1.5019CHF 0.0131
Per-message rates for all 47 markets, in ₹ and CHF
Per-message rates by market, effective 1 October 2026
MarketMarketingUtilityAuthenticationService
ArgentinaCHF 0.0473₹5.4352CHF 0.0199₹2.2874CHF 0.0199₹2.2874CHF 0.0199₹2.2874
BangladeshCHF 0.0560₹6.4397CHF 0.0028₹0.3254CHF 0.0028₹0.3254CHF 0.0028₹0.3254
BrazilCHF 0.0478₹5.4970CHF 0.0052₹0.5981CHF 0.0052₹0.5981CHF 0.0052₹0.5981
ChileCHF 0.0680₹7.8162CHF 0.0153₹1.7585CHF 0.0153₹1.7585CHF 0.0153₹1.7585
ColombiaCHF 0.0096₹1.0993CHF 0.0006₹0.0706CHF 0.0006₹0.0706CHF 0.0006₹0.0706
EgyptCHF 0.0493₹5.6629CHF 0.0028₹0.3167CHF 0.0028₹0.3167CHF 0.0028₹0.3167
FranceCHF 0.0657₹7.5588CHF 0.0230₹2.6393CHF 0.0230₹2.6393CHF 0.0230₹2.6393
GermanyCHF 0.104₹12.0088CHF 0.0421₹4.8386CHF 0.0421₹4.8386CHF 0.0421₹4.8386
Hong KongCHF 0.0560₹6.4397CHF 0.0199₹2.2867CHF 0.0199₹2.2867CHF 0.0199₹2.2867
HungaryCHF 0.0658₹7.5596CHF 0.0267₹3.0700CHF 0.0267₹3.0700CHF 0.0267₹3.0700
IndiaCHF 0.0082₹0.9435CHF 0.0017₹0.1941CHF 0.0012₹0.1402CHF 0.0013₹0.1450
IndonesiaCHF 0.0314₹3.6133CHF 0.0191₹2.1979CHF 0.0191₹2.1979CHF 0.0191₹2.1979
IraqCHF 0.0261₹2.9992CHF 0.0060₹0.6943CHF 0.0060₹0.6943CHF 0.0060₹0.6943
IsraelCHF 0.0270₹3.1045CHF 0.0041₹0.4662CHF 0.0041₹0.4662CHF 0.0041₹0.4662
ItalyCHF 0.0608₹6.9847CHF 0.0229₹2.6369CHF 0.0229₹2.6369CHF 0.0229₹2.6369
KazakhstanCHF 0.0462₹5.3098CHF 0.0138₹1.5824CHF 0.0138₹1.5824CHF 0.0138₹1.5824
KuwaitCHF 0.0606₹6.9671CHF 0.0336₹3.8671CHF 0.0336₹3.8671CHF 0.0336₹3.8671
MalaysiaCHF 0.0658₹7.5644CHF 0.0107₹1.2314CHF 0.0107₹1.2314CHF 0.0107₹1.2314
MexicoCHF 0.0303₹3.4877CHF 0.0065₹0.7471CHF 0.0065₹0.7471CHF 0.0065₹0.7471
MoroccoCHF 0.0317₹3.6425CHF 0.0176₹2.0218CHF 0.0176₹2.0218CHF 0.0176₹2.0218
NetherlandsCHF 0.122₹14.0494CHF 0.0383₹4.3987CHF 0.0383₹4.3987CHF 0.0383₹4.3987
NepalCHF 0.0560₹6.4397CHF 0.0026₹0.2990CHF 0.0026₹0.2990CHF 0.0026₹0.2990
NigeriaCHF 0.0395₹4.5421CHF 0.0051₹0.5898CHF 0.0051₹0.5898CHF 0.0051₹0.5898
OmanCHF 0.0261₹2.9992CHF 0.0189₹2.1709CHF 0.0189₹2.1709CHF 0.0189₹2.1709
PakistanCHF 0.0362₹4.1620CHF 0.0115₹1.3200CHF 0.0115₹1.3200CHF 0.0115₹1.3200
PeruCHF 0.0538₹6.1843CHF 0.0230₹2.6392CHF 0.0230₹2.6392CHF 0.0230₹2.6392
PolandCHF 0.0279₹3.2105CHF 0.0093₹1.0702CHF 0.0093₹1.0702CHF 0.0093₹1.0702
QatarCHF 0.0261₹2.9992CHF 0.0092₹1.0547CHF 0.0092₹1.0547CHF 0.0092₹1.0547
RomaniaCHF 0.0658₹7.5596CHF 0.0221₹2.5436CHF 0.0221₹2.5436CHF 0.0221₹2.5436
RussiaCHF 0.0613₹7.0520CHF 0.0306₹3.5173CHF 0.0306₹3.5173CHF 0.0306₹3.5173
Saudi ArabiaCHF 0.0440₹5.0537CHF 0.0082₹0.9401CHF 0.0082₹0.9401CHF 0.0082₹0.9401
SingaporeCHF 0.0560₹6.4397CHF 0.0122₹1.4072CHF 0.0122₹1.4072CHF 0.0122₹1.4072
South AfricaCHF 0.0290₹3.3385CHF 0.0073₹0.8369CHF 0.0073₹0.8369CHF 0.0073₹0.8369
SpainCHF 0.0541₹6.2161CHF 0.0153₹1.7578CHF 0.0153₹1.7578CHF 0.0153₹1.7578
Sri LankaCHF 0.0560₹6.4397CHF 0.0015₹0.1759CHF 0.0015₹0.1759CHF 0.0015₹0.1759
TurkeyCHF 0.0083₹0.9587CHF 0.0007₹0.0792CHF 0.0007₹0.0792CHF 0.0007₹0.0792
UkraineCHF 0.0658₹7.5596CHF 0.0227₹2.6138CHF 0.0227₹2.6138CHF 0.0227₹2.6138
United Arab EmiratesCHF 0.0440₹5.0537CHF 0.0120₹1.3811CHF 0.0120₹1.3811CHF 0.0120₹1.3811
United KingdomCHF 0.0485₹5.5795CHF 0.0168₹1.9346CHF 0.0168₹1.9346CHF 0.0168₹1.9346
North AmericaCHF 0.0191₹2.1976CHF 0.0026₹0.2989CHF 0.0026₹0.2989CHF 0.0026₹0.2989
Rest of AfricaCHF 0.0172₹1.9796CHF 0.0031₹0.3516CHF 0.0031₹0.3516CHF 0.0031₹0.3516
Rest of Asia PacificCHF 0.0644₹7.4057CHF 0.0086₹0.9938CHF 0.0086₹0.9938CHF 0.0086₹0.9938
Rest of Central & Eastern EuropeCHF 0.0658₹7.5596CHF 0.0162₹1.8595CHF 0.0162₹1.8595CHF 0.0162₹1.8595
Rest of Latin AmericaCHF 0.0566₹6.5048CHF 0.0086₹0.9934CHF 0.0086₹0.9934CHF 0.0086₹0.9934
Rest of Middle EastCHF 0.0300₹3.4490CHF 0.0070₹0.7998CHF 0.0070₹0.7998CHF 0.0070₹0.7998
Rest of Western EuropeCHF 0.0453₹5.2054CHF 0.0131₹1.5019CHF 0.0131₹1.5019CHF 0.0131₹1.5019
OtherCHF 0.0462₹5.3098CHF 0.0059₹0.6769CHF 0.0059₹0.6769CHF 0.0059₹0.6769
Currency converter

CHF 8.69 CHF

Indicative conversion at reference rates (ExchangeRate-API snapshot). InfiQ sets and invoices prices in Indian rupees, excluding GST; your bank’s rate on the day you pay will differ. Rates By Exchange Rate API.

Plan prices are monthly, in rupees, excluding GST; yearly billing is two months free. Messages are charged per delivered message on top of the plan, at the rate for the recipient’s country. Full details: InfiQ pricing. The franc figures are indicative conversions that move with the exchange rate. InfiQ invoices in rupees from India, with GST for Indian businesses.

Rates for every Meta market, plus plans and add-ons, are on one page.

See all plans and rates

On InfiQ

The InfiQ pieces a Swiss programme uses

Consent and language routing first, then security and the cost.

  • Consent records and opt-out enforcement

    Each contact's opt-in source and time are recorded, STOP replies are enforced at platform level (even against later imports), and the audit trail exports.

    The UCA asks for prior consent and a simple, free opt-out; the record keeps both, contact by contact.

  • Template manager and library

    Draft, submit and track WhatsApp message templates for Meta's approval, starting from a library of 1,000+ ready templates in 27 categories.

    de_CH, fr_CH and Italian versions of each template, submitted and tracked one by one.

  • Shared team inbox

    One WhatsApp number answered by a team: 10 users on Lite and 25 on Growth, agent and manager roles, transfers, private notes, labels and canned replies.

    Agents who read German, French or Italian can share one number, with transfers between them.

  • Account security controls

    TLS 1.2+ in transit and AES-256 at rest, role-based access, two-factor sign-in, scoped API keys with IP allow-lists, and hash-chained audit logs.

    Encryption in transit and at rest, two-factor sign-in and hash-chained audit logs help when you assess an incident under article 24.

  • Customer data hosted in India

    InfiQ processes customer data in data centres located in India; website telemetry vendors are listed separately in the subprocessor list.

    Customer data is processed in India; factor that into the information you give customers and your own FADP review.

  • Published per-market rates

    InfiQ publishes its per-message rate for every Meta market in rupees, ex-GST, so the cost of messaging customers abroad is known before you send.

    The regional rate for Swiss numbers is published in rupees before you send.

Two ways in

Two routes into Switzerland

An Indian business can start sending to Swiss customers this week. A Swiss business starts with a conversation about whether InfiQ fits.

Your business is in India

  1. 1.

    Try Lite for 7 days

    A 7-day Lite trial, no card needed. Lite is then ₹999 a month and Growth ₹2,999, billed in rupees with GST.

  2. 2.

    Pass Meta business verification

    Meta controls the timing. Your number is live in about two hours once Meta business verification is complete.

  3. 3.

    Collect consent the UCA way

    Prior consent, your correct sender identity in every message, and a simple, free opt-out.

  4. 4.

    Template each language region

    German (Switzerland), French (Switzerland) and Italian versions, each reviewed by Meta on its own.

Your business is in Switzerland

  1. 1.

    Talk to sales

    InfiQ serves India-based businesses. If your company is based in Switzerland, availability outside India goes through sales.

  2. 2.

    Weigh the set-up honestly

    Billing in Indian rupees, customer data processed in India, support in English and Hindi on India time. InfiQ's data processing agreement is public.

City guides in Switzerland

Questions businesses ask about WhatsApp in Switzerland

Does a WhatsApp broadcast count as mass advertising by telecommunication under the UCA?
Treat it as if it does. Article 3(1)(o) of the Unfair Competition Act speaks of telecommunication in general and does not name messaging apps, so applying it to WhatsApp is an interpretation, but the cautious one. It requires prior consent, the correct sender identity and a simple, free opt-out.
Is the revised FADP or the GDPR our starting point for Swiss customers?
The revised FADP, in force since 1 September 2023, is Switzerland's data-protection law. The GDPR applies to a Swiss business only where its extraterritorial scope is triggered, because Switzerland is not in the EU or EEA. The comparison at the top of this page sets the two side by side.
Can we message existing Swiss customers about similar products without new consent?
The UCA allows it when you collected the customer's contact details during a sale, pointed out the opt-out at that point, and advertise your own similar goods or services. WhatsApp's own policy still requires their opt-in to messages from you, so record that as well.
What can happen to a sender of WhatsApp advertising without consent in Switzerland?
Wilful unfair competition under article 3 of the UCA is a criminal offence prosecuted on complaint, punishable by up to three years' custody or a monetary penalty. Customers, trade associations and consumer organisations can also bring civil actions, and the Confederation can sue where the public interest requires it.
Do we need separate templates for German, French and Italian Switzerland?
Yes, if each region should be addressed in its own language. Meta lists German (Switzerland), French (Switzerland) and Italian as template languages, and each version is approved separately. Romansh is not on the list, and Swiss German templates are written in Standard German.
What do WhatsApp usage figures tell us about Swiss adults?
Very little, because the only verified figure is for teenagers: in the JAMES 2024 study, 96% of messenger users aged 12 to 19 use WhatsApp several times a week or more. No verified figure for adults was found, so measure response among your own opted-in customers before you scale.
Can a customer settle a QR-bill from a WhatsApp chat?
Not inside WhatsApp: InfiQ does not process payments. A utility template can carry a link to the bill or to your payment page, and the customer pays it the way they normally pay a QR-bill. The QR-bill's Swiss QR Code holds the payment data, so a clear document or link is what matters.
Which rate applies to Swiss numbers, and can we see it in francs?
Swiss numbers are charged at Meta's Rest of Western Europe rate: on InfiQ, ₹5.21 per marketing message, ₹1.50 utility, ₹1.50 authentication and ₹1.50 per service reply, in rupees before GST. The converter on this page shows francs as an indication; invoices are in rupees.
We're based in Switzerland. How do we buy InfiQ?
Through sales. InfiQ serves India-based businesses: it bills in Indian rupees, processes customer data in India and supports customers in English and Hindi on India time. For a business based in Switzerland, availability outside India goes through sales.

Sources

Facts on this page were checked against these sources on the dates shown. InfiQ's rates come from its published rate card. Page updated 2026-10-20.

  1. [1]Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP), SR 235.1, English translation, status 1 September 2023 · Fedlex · read 2026-10-20
  2. [2]FDPIC home · Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner · read 2026-10-20
  3. [3]Basic knowledge (new FADP) · Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner · read 2026-10-20
  4. [4]Federal Act on Unfair Competition (UCA), SR 241, English translation, status 1 December 2022 · Fedlex · read 2026-10-20
  5. [5]Languages · FDFA Presence Switzerland · read 2026-10-20
  6. [6]Time in Zurich, Switzerland · time.is · read 2026-10-20
  7. [7]Swiss economy overview · FDFA Presence Switzerland · read 2026-10-20
  8. [8]Sectors · FDFA Presence Switzerland · read 2026-10-20
  9. [9]GDP quarterly estimates · State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) · read 2026-10-20
  10. [10]JAMES-Studie 2024 (report) · ZHAW / Swisscom · read 2026-10-20
  11. [11]QR-bill · SIX · read 2026-10-20
  12. [12]WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy (updated 23 September 2026) · WhatsApp (Meta) · read 2026-10-20

Swiss rules first, then the first template

A 7-day Lite trial, no card needed, for businesses in India. Based in Switzerland? Talk to sales.

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