National economy Commodities sector almost as important for Switzerland as tourism
The large commodity companies are considered the secret giants of the Swiss economy. Data on the importance of the sector for the Swiss economy is now available for the first time. It is almost as important as tourism.
18.11.2025, 10:06
SDA
According to the data, companies active in commodities trading generated value added of CHF 19.2 billion in 2024, as estimated by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) in a press release on Tuesday. This corresponds to a share of 2.3 percent of gross domestic product.
This may not sound like much. However, commodities trading is not far removed from tourism, for example, whose value added was recently estimated by the FSO at 23.8 billion. This gives it a share of 2.9 percent.
However, commodities trading does not come close to the really big sectors. For example, the pharmaceutical association Interpharma recently put the value added of its sector at just under 75 billion, which corresponds to a share of just under 10 percent.
Music plays in Geneva and Zug
A geographical analysis of the data shows a real concentration of raw materials trading in Geneva and Zug. According to the FSO communiqué, a large number of players are active in the two cantons, including several of the world's largest traders.
The companies based in these two cantons generated 58.4 and 27 percent of the total value added. They are followed at a considerable distance by companies in Vaud (6.5 percent), Ticino (3.6 percent) and Zurich (2.3 percent).
The FSO calculated the figures for the first time on behalf of the Federal Council. A comparison with the previous year is therefore not yet possible.
