Swiss Bank Accounts - Super Autonomy and Not Just For the Super Rich

It may be the popular belief that you have to have millions in assets or very good connections to be able to open a bank account in Switzerland, however it is much easier than people think and you don't have to have tons of money in the bank to do it either.
Normal checking, savings, custodial, and even brokerage accounts can be open by anyone, from all over the world. As with any local bank competition, there will be differences in the minimums and fees that will be charged. Often you can open a checking account with as little as $5,000 as a minimum balance.
It may be the popular belief that having a Swiss bank account means that you have some added privacy, and that is a belief that is true. This is one of the reasons that people are attracted to opening a Swiss bank account in the first place, and with good reason. In 1934 the Swiss passed a law which made it illegal for any bank to disclose any information about an account, including the fact of whether an account actually exists or not. It doesn't get much more private than that. However, there are some loop holes in the law that "encourage" an account holder to be a bit more liberal with their information. Except for in criminal cases, Swiss banks are under legal obligation not to disclose account details to anyone, however, in many instances, such as with the IRS, it is the obligation of the individual to disclose their financial affairs with their local taxation authorities. And let us remember that in a court of law, to deny the ownership of such an account is to commit perjury.
If privacy isn't the big pull to opening a Swiss bank account then what other reasons are there? Another reason why people are interested in owning a Swiss bank account is own money in a different currency than their own "home" currency. I happen to live in the USA, and owning some Swiss Francs may be a way for me to hedge against the value of the US Dollar, while I make interest on my deposit in Switzerland. However, like all foreign holdings, a foreign withholding tax will be imposed; this can be up to 35%.
One question that remains is how to actually go about opening a Swiss bank account. The only good way at this point is to actually pack up and go to Switzerland. If you want to own Swiss Francs, then you can go to international banks (such as HSBC) and open an account denominated in Swiss Francs. If you do go to Switzerland remember to bring these essential s: Passport, Financial background, Origin of deposits (financial origin of the money you are depositing) and of course your personal information.