• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon

2

Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026

3

Gen Zers are arriving at college unable to even read a sentence—professors warn it could lead to a generation of anxious and lonely graduates

1

Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon

2

Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026

3

Gen Zers are arriving at college unable to even read a sentence—professors warn it could lead to a generation of anxious and lonely graduates
FinanceCredit Suisse
Europe

Credit Suisse’s ugly demise revealed: A $69 billion panic, a close call with a historic bankruptcy and a record profit from wiping out bondholders

By
Marion Halftermeyer
Marion Halftermeyer
and
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Marion Halftermeyer
Marion Halftermeyer
and
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 24, 2023, 7:01 AM ET
A signs of Swiss bank Credit Suisse is seen in Basel, on April 4, 2023 on the eve of the general meeting of shareholders following the takeover by UBS of Credit Suisse hastily arranged by the Swiss government on March 19, 2023 to prevent a financial meltdown.
A signs of Swiss bank Credit Suisse is seen in Basel, on April 4, 2023 on the eve of the general meeting of shareholders following the takeover by UBS of Credit Suisse hastily arranged by the Swiss government on March 19, 2023 to prevent a financial meltdown. Fabrice Coffrini—AFP/Getty Images

Credit Suisse Group AG reported 61.2 billion francs ($69 billion) of outflows in the first quarter and took a large writedown at its wealth management unit, underscoring the challenge for UBS Group AG in retaining key clients and assets after the emergency takeover of its biggest rival.

Recommended Video

The Swiss bank lost more than 200 billion francs of customer deposits over a six-month period, culminating in several frantic days in March before the government-orchestrated sale. First-quarter results on Monday showed that its key units continued to lose money and shed clients, and the firm borrowed far more from a central bank liquidity backstop than previously known.

The figures give a fuller picture of the drama that ended Credit Suisse’s 167-year run as one of the most storied European banks and a sense of the work ahead for UBS. Ironically, in what may be its final quarter as a standalone company, Credit Suisse had a record 12.4 billion-franc profit, but only because of a gain tied to the controversial regulatory decision to wipe out many of its bondholders in the deal. Without that, it would have posted another loss.

Wealthy clients and retail depositors pulled billions from Credit Suisse last month after its anchor Saudi shareholder said that it would not invest more in the company. That triggered the second crisis of confidence within months and ultimately led the Swiss government to broker the bank’s rescue because of fears it was heading toward bankruptcy.

“The magnitude of losses and outflows is alarming,” Keefe, Bruyette & Woods’ analysts including Thomas Hallett wrote in a note to investors. “The revenue trajectory is so damaged that the deal could well remain a drag on UBS operating results unless a deeper restructuring plan is announced.”

The outflows and expected losses this year at key businesses such as wealth and investment banking are some of the clearest indications yet of the risks for UBS in an integration that the bank has said may take up to four years. Chairman Colm Kelleher has already warned that the takeover is more challenging than many of the banking rescues that were executed during the 2008 financial crisis. 

Still, UBS is paying about 3 billion francs for a firm that finished March with a book value of 54 billion francs, giving it plenty of protection against further losses. UBS shares rose 2.1% at 10:08 a.m. in Zurich.

While Credit Suisse said that outflows have moderated but not yet reversed, it also lost about 6.9 billion at the Swiss unit, mostly at the private clients business, and a further 11.6 billion francs in asset management. The bank also took a 1.3 billion franc impairment charge mostly related to the wealth business. Shrinking assets under management and deposits reduce net interest income, as well as recurring commissions and fees.  

The quarterly profit was boosted by the write down to zero of 15 billion francs of additional tier 1 capital notes as part of UBS’s acquisition of Credit Suisse. That move proved hugely contentious, with many investors exploring legal options even after the Swiss government maintained the move was within its rights under the securities’ contract. Without the adjustment, Credit Suisse posted a loss of 1.3 billion francs.

At the end of the first quarter, Credit Suisse’s borrowings from the Swiss National Bank totaled 108 billion francs, after it had repaid 60 billion francs of borrowings, to support its liquidity levels. It repaid another 10 billion francs in April, after the quarter closed.

The central bank support wasn’t enough to stave off a rescue deal as Credit Suisse saw its customer deposits plunge by more than half in six months, with another 67 billion drop in the first quarter. 

Credit Suisse had started its latest restructuring in October, including as many as 9,000 job cuts, as it sought to return to profitability. The continuation of asset exits, and banker departures, now raises questions about the state of the wealth business that UBS will inherit. Credit Suisse on Monday warned that the recent developments have already increased employee attrition and that it lost 280 relationship managers at the business over the past 12 months. 

To help stem an exodus of talent, UBS wealth head Iqbal Khan has appeared in townhalls alongside his Credit Suisse counterpart to tell key staff that the new owner would offer incentives and retention packages. Khan formerly ran the international wealth business at Credit Suisse and his intervention signals UBS’s rising concern that rivals are using the drama to poach personnel and clients.

Credit Suisse had already lost about 110 billion francs of client assets in the fourth quarter, after a social media firestorm questioning the bank’s financial stability set off a rush for the exits. Analysts at Citigroup Inc estimated before Monday’s announcement that the bank would probably lose another 110 billion francs following its merger with UBS, or about a fifth of its client assets.

About the Authors
By Marion Halftermeyer
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Bloomberg
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

U.S. President Donald Trump on Liberation Day.
EconomyChina
China’s exports to the US are surging at a pre-Liberation Day pace, defying Trump’s tariff goals
By Chan Ho-Him and The Associated PressJune 9, 2026
1 hour ago
Options trader Chris Daytona, right, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Wednesday, June 3, 2026.
Investinginvestors
Mystery NASDAQ selloff adds tension into a make-or-break week for the AI trade
By Stan Choe and The Associated PressJune 9, 2026
2 hours ago
Photo of Scott Bessent
EconomySocial Security
‘We are rapidly running out of time’: Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
By Nick LichtenbergJune 9, 2026
4 hours ago
The Gulf states are betting big on AI: who’s investing where?
Middle EastInvestment
The Gulf states are betting big on AI: who’s investing where?
By Melissa HancockJune 9, 2026
5 hours ago
Teenage boy on laptop
SuccessJobs
Around 22 million teenagers are making their pocket money on video games, online reselling, and in-game platforms like Roblox
By Emma BurleighJune 9, 2026
5 hours ago
View of the White House lawn and grounds
PoliticsWhite House
Lockheed, Palantir, and Amazon helped fund Trump’s White House ballroom. They also share more than $50 billion in federal contracts
By Catherina GioinoJune 9, 2026
5 hours ago

Most Popular

Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
Environment
Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
By Sasha RogelbergJune 8, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 8, 2026
1 day ago
Gen Zers are arriving at college unable to even read a sentence—professors warn it could lead to a generation of anxious and lonely graduates
Success
Gen Zers are arriving at college unable to even read a sentence—professors warn it could lead to a generation of anxious and lonely graduates
By Preston ForeJune 7, 2026
2 days ago
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
Asia
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
By Kate O'Keeffe and BloombergJune 8, 2026
21 hours ago
'We didn’t see this coming': Wall Street eats its forecasts as stocks sell off globally on fear of AI bubble ahead of SpaceX IPO
Economy
'We didn’t see this coming': Wall Street eats its forecasts as stocks sell off globally on fear of AI bubble ahead of SpaceX IPO
By Jim EdwardsJune 8, 2026
1 day ago
'The golden years are not golden': Boomers are hoarding most of America's wealth and power because they're terrified of outliving their money
Economy
'The golden years are not golden': Boomers are hoarding most of America's wealth and power because they're terrified of outliving their money
By Nick LichtenbergJune 7, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.