monetary policy Lausanne design studio creates new Swiss banknotes
The Lausanne design studio Emphase has won the National Bank's design competition for the new banknote series. Their design on the theme of "Switzerland and its high altitudes" won out against five other concepts, as the SNB announced on Wednesday.
04.03.2026, 10:09
04.03.2026, 10:23
SDA
The SNB has now commissioned the Emphase team from French-speaking Switzerland to develop the graphics for the tenth Swiss banknote series. In their design, various plants adorn the banknotes on one side and subjects from architecture, culture, transportation and landscape on the other.
However, the final appearance of the bills may still differ significantly from the competition design. The SNB's Bank Council will decide on the final design. The new banknotes are not expected to be issued until the early 2030s at the earliest.
More than 300 designers working in Switzerland originally took part in the competition. The SNB selected twelve concepts, which were assessed in several phases. In addition to an expert advisory board, over 100,000 people also took part in a public vote in summer 2025.
The twelve submitted designs will be exhibited in the SNB Forum on Fraumünsterstrasse in Zurich from March 5 to 15.
