Five fintech leaders have been named among this year’s top 100 most influential bankers in Switzerland, recognized by FIN21, a research and strategy company based in Zurich, for their impact on shaping the Swiss banking sector.
The 100 Most Influential Bankers in Switzerland 2026, released in August 2026, profiles 100 individuals who are driving change in the Swiss banking sector. The recognition of these individuals is based on their influence from their roles and institutional reach, their ability to shape outcomes, client access and reputation, as well as their networks, innovation, and regulatory relevance.
These individuals include leaders from major and private banks, cantonal and regional institutions, the Swiss National Bank (SNB), as well as digital challengers, innovators, and promising young bankers. Together, they represent an industry of substantial economic importance.
Among these 100 bankers, five come from the fintech industry, representing organizations including Sygnum, Amina Bank, and Swissquote.
Daniel Belfer, CEO, Saxo Bank
Daniel Belfer is the CEO of Saxo Bank, a Danish investment bank specializing in online trading and multi-asset investing. He has about three decades of experience in the financial industry, 26 of which were at J. Safra Sarasin Group.
Belfer held several key positions at the group. He served as the head of the trading, treasury, and asset management division at J. Safra Sarasin Holding in Basel from 2012 to 2019, during which he was also a member of the group executive board. Before that, he worked at Banque J. Safra (Suisse) SA in Geneva from 2010.
From 2008 to 2010, Belfer served as the CEO and a member of the board of directors at Bank J. Safra Sarasin in the Bahamas. From 2004, the was the head of trading at Safra National Bank in New York, trading in fixed income securities and structured products.
Prior to joining Saxo Bank, Belfer served as CEO of Bank J. Safra Sarasin for six years. The private banking and wealth management company acquired Saxo Bank in March 2026, naming Belfer the bank’s new CEO.
Born in 1975, Belfer is a Brazilian citizen residing in Denmark. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Boston University School of Management and is a CFA Charterholder.
The 100 Most Influential Bankers in Switzerland 2026 list gives Belfer an influence and outlook score of both two out of five. His significance for Swiss banking stems from the strategic link between J. Safra Sarasin and Saxo, making his role relevant to the evolution of wealthtech.
Franz Bergmüller, CEO, Amina Bank
Franz Bergmüller is the CEO of Amina Bank. Formerly known as SEBA Bank, Amina Bank is a fully integrated licensed digital assets banking platform from Switzerland. Founded in April 2018 and established in Zug, it offers services including everyday banking, secure crypto custody, 24/7 trading, staking, and asset-backed loans, serving professional investors, companies, family offices and institutions.
Bergmüller has more than 30 years of experience in building and transforming successful businesses and operations, combining deep functional expertise with strong IT capabilities across the entire financial services value chain.
After working for many years as a strategy and IT consultant up to partner level and then for 15 years in senior management roles at two leading German insurance companies, he held the position of chief commercial officer, as well as a seat on the executive board at Adcubum, a leading software manufacturer for the international insurance industry, since 2019. He also successfully founded and managed three startup companies.
With an influence score of one out of five and an outlook score of two out of five, Bergmüller has played a pivotal role in Amina Bank’s transformation into a global financial institution, helping establish key hubs in Switzerland, Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong. Unlike traditional Swiss bank CEOs, Bergmüller’s credibility stems from his expertise in building financial infrastructure rather than relying solely on client relationships.
Following Amina Bank’s rebranding, international expansion and repositioning, Bergmüller must now prove that Amina is not merely a pioneer but a sustainable business capable of weathering crypto-market cycles. If he succeeds, he could become an important voice in defining Switzerland’s role in the next generation of financial-market infrastructure, the report says.
Marc Bürki, Co-Founder and CEO, Swissquote
Marc Bürki is the co-founder and CEO of Swissquote, a Swiss banking group specializing in providing online financial services in trading, investment and banking. At Swissquote, Bürki is responsible of implementing the bank and the group’s strategy, and overseeing revenue and profitability. He also develops the bank and its international network, including locations in London, Dubai, Hong Kong and Malta, within the various regulatory framework in Switzerland and abroad. Additionally, he heads the global investors relation desk of Swissquote as a listed entity on the Swiss Stock Exchange.
Bürki co-founded Swissquote with Paolo Buzzi and has served as CEO since 2002. The business originated in 1996 as Marvel, a financial-software company. A EPFL-trained engineer, Bürk helped transform Swissquote into one of Switzerland’s leading digital bank.
Bürki has an influence score of five out of five, and an outlook score of four out of five. He occupies the rare position of a founder who still runs his company, free from the constraints of answering to an owning family or a board.
Mathias Imbach, Co-Founder and Group CEO, Sygnum
Mathias Imbach is the co-founder and group CEO of Sygnum. Sygnum is a global digital asset banking group, built for professional and institutional investors. Its all-in-one account seamlessly integrates core digital asset banking and investment solutions with a broad range of traditional securities, FX trading and fiat payments.
Prior to Sygnum, Imbach was the general manager of RNT Associates, Ratan N. Tata’s personal investment platform, which he joined as the first team member. He led multiple venture capital (VC) and private equity investments and participated in blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT)-related equity deals globally.
Imbach started his career at Bain & Company where he led advisory projects for private equity funds, family offices and technology companies. He holds a PhD from the University of St. Gallen and a Master of Science from the London School of Economics.
Imbach has an influence score of two out of five and an outlook score of three out of five. His influence is closely linked to Sygnum and the rapidly growing world of digital assets, which represents an innovative and sharply focused business model at the intersection of banking, blockchain and institutional financial technology.
Imbach sees himself as a bridge between the established financial system and the blockchain economy. His significance depends on how traditional banks will approach tokenized assets, cryptocurrencies and blockchain infrastructure in the years ahead.
Gabriela Payer, Chairwoman, Sygnum
Gabriela Payer is the chairwoman of Sygnum, where she oversees the strategy, governance and leadership of the regulated crypto bank. Payer is also a board member of Helvetia Baloise Group, Sphaira Innovation, and several various advisory boards.
Prior to this position, Payer served as the vice-chairwoman of Sygnum. She also held global and strategic leadership roles at UBS, including founding UBS e-banking and serving as the global head of human resources (HR) as well as group managing board members. Payer also engaged in business development for the Swiss Finance Institute, American Express and IBM.
Payer holds a PhD from the University of Zurich and a Master in Languages and Business Economics. She has an influence score of three out of five, and an outlook score of four out of five, contributing to key decisions on senior leadership, remuneration and succession at two heavily regulated financial institutions. Her network spans established banks, insurance and education through to the crypto sector.
Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by kavalenkava via Magnific
