What Is UBS?

What Is UBS?

Let me tell you about UBS. It's a multinational diversified financial services company, formerly known as the Union Bank of Switzerland, with headquarters in Zurich and Basel. UBS handles just about every major financial activity you can think of, from retail and commercial banking to investment banking, investment management, and wealth management.

UBS has a strong global presence, including a major footprint in the United States with its American headquarters in New York City. It operates in over 50 countries worldwide and employs more than 115,000 people.

Key Takeaways

Here's what you need to know right away: UBS is a Swiss investment bank with operations around the world. In March 2023, UBS announced it would take over Credit Suisse in a 3 billion Swiss franc all-stock deal arranged by the government to stop Credit Suisse from collapsing. The bank's main divisions cover investment and retail banking, plus asset and wealth management. Its retail banking side handles private Swiss bank accounts, and overall, the company manages about $3.85 trillion in assets.

Understanding UBS

The name UBS comes from one of its predecessor companies, the Union Bank of Switzerland. The modern UBS was created when the Union Bank of Switzerland merged with the Swiss Bank Corporation in 1998. Now, UBS is the official name of the company, not an acronym.

Fast Fact

You might notice the UBS logo features three keys, which come from the Swiss Bank Corporation. These keys represent trust, security, and discretion—core values in banking.

UBS’s Major Divisions

UBS is structured into several major divisions that provide products and services to a wide range of clients. These include wealth management, asset management, investment banking, and retail banking. Let me break them down for you.

Wealth Management

In UBS wealth management, we focus on high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. Our financial advisors work directly with clients to assess their full range of financial and other assets, then create customized solutions to fit their needs. These advisors might specialize in areas like investment management, income tax preparation, or estate planning.

Asset Management

The goal of UBS asset management is to deliver top-tier investment performance and client service. This differs from wealth management because it also involves managing collective investments, such as pension funds, in addition to individual assets. That's why some people consider asset management to include wealth management as a subset.

Fast Fact

UBS is the largest bank in Switzerland and the only big bank left in the country. As of March 2024, Switzerland had $5.7 trillion in assets under management globally.

Investment Banking

UBS investment banking is part of the bulge bracket group, alongside names like Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, Barclays, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Deutsche Bank. Investment banks like ours underwrite new debt and equity securities for corporations, help sell those securities, and facilitate mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations, and broker trades for institutions and private investors. We also guide issuers on issuing and placing stock.

Retail Banking

UBS retail banking is the traditional mass-market side, where individual customers use local branches of larger commercial banks—think Citibank or T.D. Bank as similar examples. We offer savings and checking accounts, mortgages, personal loans, debit or credit cards, and certificates of deposit (CDs). The emphasis is squarely on the individual consumer.

What Does UBS Stand For?

UBS stands for Union Bank of Switzerland, which translates to 'Union de Banques Suisses' in French, 'Unione di Banche Svizzere' in Italian, and 'Schweizerische Bankgesellschaft' in German. When Union Bank merged with Swiss Bank, the combined entity adopted the name UBS.

Is UBS a U.S. Bank?

While UBS is based in Switzerland, it does operate as a licensed U.S. bank. It's headquartered in New York City and registered in Utah under the name UBS Bank USA.

What Does UBS Wealth Management Do?

UBS Wealth Management offers various financial planning services for individuals and businesses, including portfolio management, market research, retirement planning, and educational planning.

Is UBS the Largest Private Bank in the World?

Yes, based on assets under management, UBS is the world's largest private bank. Private banks serve high-net-worth individuals with personalized services like wealth management, portfolio management, estate planning, and tax services.

The Bottom Line

To wrap this up, UBS is a Swiss investment bank with operations spanning the globe, in more than 50 countries and with over 115,000 employees. Its key divisions are investment and retail banking, along with asset and wealth management. UBS has a significant presence in the United States, including its headquarters in New York City.