In 2024, 131 debt restructuring proceedings were registered in Switzerland, representing 2.5% of all insolvency cases – Switzerland's adoption rate trails behind other European countries but the trend indicates a catch-up.
The latest release of our annual Swiss debt restructuring moratorium study shows a 40% increase in the number of cases in Switzerland during 2024 compared to 2023 – reaching the highest level in six years.
The debt moratorium is an effective legal instrument allowing financially distressed companies to protect themselves from creditors, gain time to restructure businesses, and safeguard jobs instead of heading into bankruptcy. The advantages of a debt moratorium include the suspension or protection against debt enforcement and legal proceedings, the possibility of terminating continuing obligations under certain conditions, the elimination of the obligation to establish a social plan, and execution of a disposal transaction without clawback risks. Detailed information about how the debt moratorium process works and its advantages can be found in our detailed compendium.
In view of the general economic uncertainties, the deteriorating consumer sentiment, rising interest rates, geopolitical conflicts, and new trade barriers, the authors expect restructuring activity to remain high and the use of insolvency proceedings to continue increasing.
EVOLUTION OF THE NUMBER OF CASES 2019 - 2024
Originally published on 09 September 2025
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