In our FAQ you will find answers to important and frequently asked questions from business customers about eBill: short, informative and concise.
eBill is a service provided by SIX. SIX operates the infrastructure for processing eBill on behalf of the Swiss banks. eBill is offered by numerous invoice issuers (large companies, SMEs and public administration).
Pricing is the responsibility of the eBill network partner. A price list or a quote can be requested directly from the network partner.
There are no additional transaction fees for eBill users. The use of eBill is free of charge for end users (private customers).
Receiving invoices via eBill in online banking is free of charge.
Invoices that have already been approved for payment by your customers remain visible on the eBill platform in the "File" for 730 days after the due date. After this period, the eBill invoices will be deleted.
With eBill, you receive your invoices securely and directly in your online banking. You can easily review them and approve them for payment immediately.
You will receive an e-mail invoice in your e-mail inbox. To pay the e-mail invoice, you must transfer the document or its details to online banking.
In addition to single and recurring invoices, eBill can also be used to send donation requests, reminders, notifications, and credits.
Notifications are informational messages that can be sent through eBill. Examples of notifications include an invoice without a payment option or information about a refund (credit).
The same industry-standard, comprehensive security precautions and data protection guidelines apply to eBill as to online banking. Data security and transmission security are particularly important in the eBill system: modern procedures are used to protect data in accordance with online banking standards of the Swiss banks.
If you are a business and want to send digital invoices to your customers via eBill, you will need the services of a network partner. They will help you connect to the eBill infrastructure and guide you through the next steps after the switch. You can find a list of all certified network partners on ebill.ch or contact the network partner of your choice directly.
It is also possible for SMEs to receive eBill invoices. There are two ways to use this service: eBill invoices can either be processed directly in online banking or without media discontinuity in your own invoicing software (business software).
For the processing of eBill invoices in online banking, several employees can be authorized to view, approve or reject eBill invoices on behalf of the company.
For companies with their own invoicing software, it is also possible to feed eBill invoices directly into their own invoicing software, such as EBICS, and thus continue to use the tried and proven channels.
Receipt of eBill invoices via online banking is available to any company or business. However, not all banks offer this service. The setup process varies from bank to bank. If you have any questions about this specific service, please contact your bank's business customer advisor directly.
An authorized employee can view and check invoices for the company and then approve or reject them for payment through the selected account. Authorized persons can also register the company with other invoice issuers in order to receive eBill invoices from them in the future. Settings, such as permanent approval, can also be customized.
SMEs that have linked their invoicing software to the bank receive eBill invoices directly in that software. Posting and payment are done according to your standard processes. No adjustments to existing processes are required. In addition to the electronic invoice data, you also receive the corresponding PDF. The invoice document can thus be easily archived using your existing processes.
If you are not informed directly by the invoice issuer about the receipt of new eBill invoices, you can set up a notification via the individual settings. The notification settings can be adjusted in the eBill portal under "User settings".
Yes, as long as your company has a business identification number (UID) and has provided it when registering all accounts. If you did not receive the UID until after you registered for eBill, you can provide it to your bank at a later date.
If you are a business customer, you must have the same UID at all your banks in order to receive eBill invoices from multiple online banking accounts.
All companies that are registered in an official register (e.g., VAT register, commercial register) receive a business identification number (UID) from the Federal Statistical Office. This can be found in a public register. Companies, associations, cooperatives, foundations, etc. that are not registered can also apply for such a number from the Federal Statistical Office. For more information on the UID and how to apply for one, please visit the website of the Federal Statistical Office.
The UID is used by eBill to identify your company. If you do not have a UID, it is still possible to use eBill to a limited extent. Please contact your bank for further information.
If you are registered in an official register, your company will automatically be assigned a UID. This can be found on the website of the Federal Statistical Office. Associations, cooperatives, condominium owners' associations, etc. can also apply for a UID from the Federal Statistical Office. This can be done easily with the help of a form.
Yes, companies without a UID can still use eBill and receive eBill invoices. In this case, companies will receive an identification number from their financial institution. However, this number does not allow for multibanking or the automatic addition of invoice issuers. Contact your bank for more information.
Multibanking is only possible if a UID has been deposited with the bank. In addition, certain additional features will not be available. For example, the setting ”Add invoice issuers automatically” (see the next chapter for a description of this function) only works with the UID.
If you were already using eBill for your company before the introduction of the business customer offer, you can switch at any time, provided that your bank offers this service. Please contact your bank for more information.
Not all banks offer this service. Please contact your bank directly for more information on this service.
If you no longer wish to receive invoices via eBill in the future, you can delete all invoice issuers in the eBill portal and deactivate the "Add invoice issuers automatically" setting.
To deactivate your eBill account, please contact your bank. If you use eBill through more than one bank (multibanking), you must deregister with all the banks involved.
If you are interested in becoming a network partner, please contact us using the contact form. We will be happy to provide you with all the information you need. During the onboarding process you will be assigned a project manager who will support you until go-live. The network partner interface is an open interface that is made available to all interested providers.
The most important criterion is that network partners make their eBill solution available to third parties and thus further promote eBill.
There are two ways to participate in eBill as a software partner. Your company works together with an eBill network partner and implements the eBill API in a joint project. Or you can become a network partner yourself, integrate the eBill API and offer eBill to your end customers.
eBill Donations uses the same technology and infrastructure as eBill. That's why you can reach donors exactly where they pay their invoices: in online banking.
If an NPO wants to send digital donation requests via eBill, it requires the services of an eBill network partner. The technical connection to the SIX eBill infrastructure is established via this partner.
In order to register on the eBill infrastructure, a non-profit organization (NPO) must prove that it is legally established (e.g., by statute or deed of foundation) and that it pursues a non-commercial purpose. This can be a Zewo certificate or a cantonal tax exemption for institutions with a charitable or public purpose. In addition, eBill network partners regularly check whether an organization is classified as an NPO.
No. Adding an NPO as an invoicing party in eBill requires the automatic submission of the eBill user's e-mail address, name and address. Approving a donation request also triggers a transfer from online banking, which cannot be anonymous. This means that the same data is transmitted as for a traditional online banking transfer.
Yes, the minimum amount for a donation in eBill is 5 Swiss francs.
eBill Direct Debit enables eBill invoice issuers to create and manage digital direct debit authorizations via eBill, submit the corresponding claims via the eBill infrastructure and automatically collect them from the invoice recipient.
eBill Direct Debit is a function of eBill and an initiative of SIX. Established as the standard for digital invoicing, eBill enables seamless digital payment of invoices, creating significant benefits for individuals, businesses, and the Swiss economy. With eBill Direct Debit, this invoicing standard is now extended to direct debits.
SIX BBS developed eBill Direct Debit to meet the requirements for digital, interoperable, and seamless collection-based payment processing in Switzerland, launching it on the market in June 2025. With eBill Direct Debit, SIX offers its clients a genuine account-based collection solution even after the discontinuation of LSV+ and BDD on the market.
The purpose of eBill Direct Debit is to process collection-based transactions through the eBill infrastructure.
The invoice recipient benefits from full payment automation and does not have to worry about timely payment. Unlike the traditional standing approval, where the invoice recipient can specify a maximum amount limit or an exact amount, the pre-stored collection authorization required for eBill Direct Debit is unlimited in amount. As a result, there is no risk that a submitted amount cannot be processed due to a limit set by the account holder that is too low or an extraordinary (higher) amount, resulting in late payment interest or dunning fees are therefore incurred. In the event of a successful eBill Direct Debit collection, the integrated return transaction process protects the invoice recipient from erroneous or unjustified debits by allowing them to easily reclaim their money.
With eBill Direct Debit, the invoice issuer benefits from very high payment reliability thanks to automated payment approval. This is mainly due to the fact that the influence of the invoice recipient is limited compared to eBill invoice and traditional standing approval. For example, the invoice issuer specifies the payment value date, and the invoice recipient cannot change it directly in the eBill infrastructure (e.g., eBill portal). This allows the invoice issuer to accurately plan its cash management. In addition, with eBill Direct Debit, the invoice issuer benefits from the digitalization of today’s paper-based and time-consuming onboarding processes.
With eBill Direct Debit, the invoice issuer can submit its claim against the invoice recipient to the eBill infrastructure in the form of a collection-based transaction via its connected network partner. In the eBill infrastructure, such a payment request is checked against the previously centrally stored collection and debit authorization and is automatically approved or rejected. Once approved, the eBill infrastructure transmits the necessary payment information to the invoice recipient’s financial institution. This triggers the payment to the invoice issuer’s financial institution and executes the authorized account debit against the stored collection authorization.
The invoice issuer's or invoice recipient's financial institution and the invoice issuer’s network partner must support eBill Direct Debit in order for their invoice issuer or invoice recipient to use eBill Direct Debit.
An eBill network partner is a licensed company that is authorized to connect to the eBill infrastructure. In order to use eBill Direct Debit, an invoice issuer must be connected to the infrastructure through a network partner. The network partner assists the invoice issuer in the onboarding process and ensures that the interface is functioning properly. If a financial institution wishes to offer its customers (invoice issuers) the eBill Direct Debit functionality, it is free to become a network partner itself or to offer its customers an optional direct debit option via the SIX eBill web interface.
The invoice issuer’s financial institution maintains the invoice issuer’s account and books credits from an eBill Direct Debit transaction. It also bears the credit risk in the event of cancellations by the invoice recipient and reimburses the amount collected. The invoice issuer's financial institution is free to become a network partner and to additionally offer its customer (invoice issuer) corresponding network partner services. Optionally, a financial institution can offer its customer (invoice issuer) a direct submission option via the SIX eBill web interface.
A list of financial institutions that support eBill Direct Debit can be found here: www.ebill.ch/en/home/business/direct-debit.html.
A list of network partners that support eBill Direct Debit can be found here: www.ebill.ch/en/home/business/direct-debit.html.
An up-to-date list of invoice issuers that support eBill Direct Debit can be accessed in eBill by selecting the function “Add” (invoice issuer) in the submenu “eBill Direct Debit.”
A list of the software/solution providers that support eBill Direct Debit can be found here: www.ebill.ch/en/home/business/direct-debit.html.
With eBill Direct Debit, only collection-based transactions (business cases) can be processed, whereby a corresponding direct debit authorization must be concluded in advance between the invoice issuer and the invoice recipient and stored centrally in the eBill infrastructure.
The following functions are not intended for use with eBill Direct Debit, partly because eBill Direct Debit is designed to be automated, and therefore an integrated dunning process, for example, does not make sense for eBill Direct Debit:
The following table shows the differences (positioning) between eBill Direct Debit and other payment processes:
On the one hand, eBill Direct Debit is aimed at invoice issuers who want to collect their recurring claims from their customers (eBill invoice recipients) in the form of a digital collection-based eBill transaction.
On the other hand, eBill Direct Debit is designed for invoice recipients who want to automatically and digitally approve recurring payments, combined with the ability to revoke a processed direct debit via eBill.
Recipients of paper invoices can register for eBill Direct Debit with their financial institution through a special registration and enrollment process and subscribe to the relevant invoice issuer. These processes are optional. It is unknown at this time whether any financial institutions will offer these processes to their paper invoices customers.
The one-time implementation costs for eBill Direct Debit vary depending on the role and participant model (e.g., portal bank versus fully integrated bank, network partner versus invoice issuer). Accordingly, each participant or financial institution must be able to assess the cost of implementing eBill Direct Debit.
Receiving eBill direct debits via online banking is usually free of charge for the invoice recipient. However, this may vary depending on the financial institution. In the future, it will be possible to request a price list or quote directly from the financial institution.
The eBill Direct Debit transaction prices charged by network partners to their customers (connected invoice issuers) are the responsibility of each network partner. A price list or offer can be requested directly from the network partner.
The fees charged by SIX to the network partners or financial institutions are set out in the respective network partner or bank price list of SIX, which can be obtained by network partners or financial institutions from the respective closed user group websites of SIX.
eBill Direct Debit was introduced by SIX on the market in June 2025.
Further information is available from the listed banks, network partners, and software/solution providers: www.ebill.ch/en/home/business/direct-debit.html.
No. The invoice issuer can only debit the account after the invoice recipient has accepted the invoice issuer’s request, i.e., the authorization, and approved the account to be debited. Authorization is no longer required for individual charges.
Yes. With eBill Direct Debit, invoice recipients can digitally revoke direct debits directly in eBill without having to provide a reason. The invoice recipient’s financial institution will settle a revoked direct debit amount within a maximum of 10 bank working days. The objection period is 30 days from the date of notification.
There is no right of objection for B2B direct debits in the corporate customer sector.
Yes, the account specified for an existing eBill Direct Debit authorization can be changed by the invoice recipient in eBill at any time (the accounts provided by the invoice recipient’s financial institution are available for selection).
Note: An eBill Direct Debit authorization cannot be linked to a third party bank account. For privacy/confidentiality reasons, only the accounts of the financial institution through which the eBill login was made can be displayed in eBill. Therefore, even as of today, foreign bank accounts are not displayed to the eBill user and are not available for selection. This means that once created, eBill Direct Debit authorizations cannot be moved between financial institutions but must be set up again each time the invoice recipient changes financial institutions.
If an invoice recipient does not want to or cannot use eBill Direct Debit, there are alternatives such as eBill standing approvals, debit cards, or mobile wallets that also allow regular direct debits. The invoice recipient can also set up a standing order with their financial institution to pay recurring invoices for a fixed amount.
However, eBill Direct Debit is the only payment method that supports all the functionalities of typical account-based direct debit solutions, enabling a digital registration process and direct account-to-account payment via SIC (Swiss Interbank Clearing).