3a equity funds 2026: current developments and trends in Swiss retirement saving

Private retirement provision is gaining importance in Switzerland. Pillar 3a offers tax advantages and enables long-term wealth building. Anyone who wants to exploit its potential can hardly avoid securities solutions: 3a equity funds invest your pension money in the capital market instead of leaving it in an account.

Why 3a equity funds?

Classic 3a accounts currently pay around 0.2 % interest on average, and the best offers pay 1 % (as of 3 September 2026, Evaluno comparison of over 100 accounts). Over the long term, that is hardly enough to preserve purchasing power. 3a equity funds offer considerably higher return potential: the highest-returning products in the Evaluno comparison have gained between around 60 % and over 80 % over the past five years, almost all with an equity share (= the portion of the fund’s assets in equities) of 95 % or more. Such results are no guarantee for the future, and price fluctuations are part of the deal. But anyone with a long investment horizon can sit them out.

What applies to pillar 3a in 2026?

The framework at a glance:

• Maximum amount with a pension fund: CHF 7'258 per year (unchanged from 2025)
• Maximum amount without a pension fund: 20 % of earned income, up to CHF 36'288 per year
• New from 2026: contribution gaps from 2025 onwards can be closed retroactively, up to CHF 7'258 per year on top of the ordinary contribution.

Which trends are shaping 3a equity funds?

• Passive strategies are winning: index funds and ETF-based solutions are growing fastest because they keep costs low.
• High equity shares are becoming the standard: digital providers enable strategies with up to 99 or 100 % equities, considerably more than traditional bank funds.
• Sustainability is established: a large share of funds is now also available in an ESG variant (= investments based on environmental, social and governance criteria).
• The cost range remains wide: in the Evaluno comparison of over 300 3a funds, annual total costs range between 0.1 % and around 1.7 %. The difference hits your return directly, year after year.

What should you look for when choosing?

• Investment strategy: actively or passively managed funds
• Equity share: the higher, the greater the return potential, but also the fluctuations.
• Fees: low total costs increase the net return, every year.
• Sustainability: if ESG criteria matter to you
• Flexibility: the option to adjust or switch your strategy later

Conclusion

A 3a equity fund can be the most effective building block of your pension provision if your investment horizon and risk appetite match. What matters are low costs, an equity share that suits your situation, and patience. The pillar 3a fund comparison on Evaluno shows you the performance, equity share and total costs of over 300 products, independently and updated daily.