American investors flock to Switzerland's alpine sanctuary
The exclusive resort of Andermatt in Switzerland has gained unexpected popularity among American investors in recent months. According to "Financial Times," this shift is influenced by the policies of President Donald Trump. Influential Americans, therefore, are seeking options to protect their wealth.
As reported by "Financial Times," from January to early April of this year, developers recorded over 1,260 inquiries from U.S. investors regarding apartments in the small alpine resort of Andermatt. It seems that this unexpected interest stems from a need to secure assets during uncertain political and economic times.
Switzerland: Where wealthy Americans want to protect their assets
The choice of location is no accident. Although Switzerland has strict regulations limiting the purchase of property by foreigners, Andermatt has obtained a special exemption — something wealthy foreign buyers are eagerly taking advantage of.
In just the first few months of the year, Americans bought or placed deposits on properties worth 14.2 million Swiss francs (approximately 23 million CAD) — nearly double the total amount for the entire previous year. Notably, over one-third of those sales took place right before Easter, when the trade decisions of the Trump administration significantly impacted global markets.
Russell Collins, chief commercial officer of Andermatt Swiss Alps, the company overseeing the investments, emphasizes that while American interest was already on the rise — especially after the acquisition of a majority stake by the American company Vail Resorts in 2022 — this year's growth is unprecedented. "In recent weeks, interest and sales look like a hockey stick chart," Collins tells "FT".
According to the company, most Andermatt clients are from the East Coast of the U.S. A New York magnate, who purchased property in Switzerland, admitted anonymously to the newspaper that Trump's policies were "one of the main factors" influencing his decision to buy.
Collins believes many buyers from the U.S. are also attracted by the strength of the Swiss franc, which has appreciated 11 percent against the U.S. dollar since January. Switzerland is viewed as a politically and economically stable haven. The investment project in Andermatt, valued at 1.8 billion Swiss francs (about 3 billion CAD), is led by businessman Samih Sawiris and his company Orascom. The project includes the development of hotels, restaurants, and a golf course, all just two hours away from Zurich.
According to Philipp Zünd of KPMG in Zurich, a firm serving wealthy clients, the number of Americans inquiring about moving to Switzerland has more than doubled compared to previous years. "In recent months, we've seen growing interest in moving to Switzerland and Europe in general," says Zünd regarding the Americans.
