About Vanguard | Vanguard Switzerland Private Investor

Vanguard facts and figures

Headquarters

Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, USA

CEO

Salim Ramji

Fund Line-up

224 funds in the US, 228 funds outside the US*

Total assets under management

USD 11.9 trillion*

Ownership structure

Client-owned**

Number of employees

20,000 worldwide***

*Data as of 31 October 2025.

**The Vanguard Group, Inc. is owned by Vanguard's US-domiciled funds and ETFs. Those funds in turn are owned by their investors.

***The number of employees is updated annually (figures as of 31.12.2024).

Committed exclusively to our clients

We are a little different from other asset managers: Vanguard has cooperative roots in the US and is not listed on the stock exchange, putting the interests of our around 50 million customers worldwide are at the heart of everything we do.

We don't chase trends, but do everything we can to help investors achieve their long-term goals.

Investing involves risks.

Vanguard in Europe

Over the past decades, Vanguard has grown to become one of the world’s largest investment management companies, with a presence in America, Europe and Australia.

In Europe, Vanguard has over 1,000 employees in offices in Amsterdam, Dublin, Frankfurt, London, Manchester, Milan, Paris and Zurich.

In Europe, Vanguard leverages the scale, experience and resources of our established global business.

Vanguard’s principles for investing success

Some people say investing is complicated. We don't think it has to be. In fact, we think successful investing rests on four simple principles.

Create clear, appropriate investment goals
For investment success and to avoid unnecessary risks, investors should start by defining clear goals and developing an appropriate plan based on realistic return expectations.

Create an investment plan
Develop a suitable asset allocation using broadly diversified funds
A robust investment strategy is based on a broadly diversified portfolio suitable for the investment objectives. Investors can manage risks and limit volatility by broadly diversifying their investments across markets, regions and sectors.

Finding balance in the portfolio
Minimise cost
Investors have no control over the markets, but they can control how much they pay for their investments. They should make use of this leverage, because every Swiss Franc in costs and fees is detrimental to returns.

Learn more about costs
Maintain perspective and long-term discipline
Don't lose sight of your goal

Stay on course

Frequently asked questions

What makes Vanguard special?

As a customer, am I also a shareholder of Vanguard?

At Vanguard, we work exclusively in the interests of our clients. Vanguard is not listed on the stock exchange and is not owned by external investors but by our fundholders in the US. Because Vanguard belongs to Vanguard investors themselves, our interests are clearly aligned and we can use profits to reduce costs for our clients.

While we cannot replicate this cooperative model outside the US, Vanguard clients in Europe still benefit from this structure through low costs and our company values.

How are ETFs different from funds?

ETF stands for ‘exchange-traded fund’. Thus, the difference between ETFs and traditional funds lies in their trading. Like individual shares, ETFs are traded on the stock exchange. Traditional funds, on the other hand, are traded via the fund provider or a bank.

ETFs are often equated with passive index investments, but in fact, both active and passive funds can be traded on a stock exchange or launched as traditional funds. Investing involves risks.

What should you consider when selecting funds and ETFs?

Our philosophy is that investing should be aligned with your goals. So think about your investment horizon and your attitude towards risk. Each fund and ETF is assigned a risk profile based on the securities in its portfolio and its investment strategy, which can help you make a decision. As a general rule, funds and ETFs with greater potential returns also tend to be more volatile, while products with lower volatility offer lower potential returns. Investing involves risks.

What makes us different