Overview
Bratschi advises Burgergemeinde Bern on the sale of DC Bank to the BK Foundation
04. September 2026
Bratschi AG advised Burgergemeinde Bern on the legal spin-off and the successful sale of DC Bank to the BK Foundation.
DC Bank is a regional bank with a history spanning more than 200 years. Until now, it had not been legally independent and formed part of Burgergemeinde Bern. Following a review of its ownership strategy, Burgergemeinde Bern decided to withdraw from the banking business and sell DC Bank.
The transaction secures the long-term future of one of Switzerland's most historic banks while allowing Burgergemeinde Bern to focus on its core mission. Under the independent BK Foundation, DC Bank will retain its existing name and business model. Founded over 200 years ago, it holds a unique place in Swiss banking history as the first bank in Switzerland to issue its own banknotes.
With the approval of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA), the transaction was completed in recent days. As DC Bank had not previously been legally independent and was part of a public-law corporation, the complex transaction required numerous specific legal aspects to be carefully considered and various processes to be closely coordinated. Bratschi provided Burgergemeinde Bern with comprehensive support across all corporate, contract, financial markets, and tax law matters.
The Bratschi team was led by Martin Moser (corporate, contract, and financial markets law) and included Niklaus Hutzli (notarial services) and Nicola Corvi (corporate law and tax).
News
04.09.2026
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Bratschi advises Burgergemeinde Bern on the sale of DC Bank to the BK Foundation
Bratschi AG advised Burgergemeinde Bern on the legal spin-off and the successful sale of DC Bank to the BK Foundation.
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