Zug or Zoug, an investor’s paradise

It seems obvious to choose a life in Zug or Zoug, the charming Swiss town with 2 spellings but 1 pronunciation ('o' for French speakers). We admit, the name does carry a certain note of musicality, but that’s not the only reason why its residents are always smiling. Simply put, Zug is a true paradise where you’ll feel lucky to own a beautiful house.

Located between Lucerne and Zurich, Zug is the capital of the canton of Zug. According to a study by Credit Suisse, this small Swiss-German town offers the best quality of life based on its taxation, education, transportation and employment opportunities.

The setting is idyllic: beautifully renovated farmhouses surrounded by meadows, delightful houses on the shores of Lake Aegeri, and luxury apartments in town overlooking Lake Zug. As an extremely clean and well-maintained city, the parks are beautiful, the security is top-of-the-line, the standard of education is excellent, and the city’s location allows residents to enjoy a wide variety of activities. The city is elegant and very welcoming with its 14th-century mansions, bourgeois houses, and narrow streets overlooking the lake. Its clock tower, called the Zytturm, is a constant reminder that we are in the land of punctuality.

Zug is one of the richest cities in Switzerland. The economy is thriving and the salaries are high. All of this contributes to its active real estate market.

Zug is very attractive and internationally renowned. In fact, more than a quarter of the population is foreign. This gives the small city a cosmopolite air and an international character that’s open to all cultures. As a result, the city offers its residents a multitude of choices when it comes to cuisine, linguistics, and culture.

As a matter of fact, Zug has a very interesting tax policy. As you know, every canton in Switzerland applies its own tax rules. Major companies - like Glencore (a leading commodities producer) and Crown Resources - and multinationals like Siemens, Xstrata (mining giant) and Amgen (biotech) have established their headquarters in Zug to take advantage of the attractive taxation. Here, the tax rate on business profits is the lowest in all of Switzerland, plus companies are only responsible for paying tax on the revenue earned in the territory. Since most of them mainly earn their money abroad, the tax is minimal and  Zug proves itself to be the perfect tax haven.

Zug is also the Swiss capital of commodity brokers (those famous traders). The city has been dubbed the 'Crypto Valley' by financial companies in the digital industry. This little Swiss town aims to be, always, a (giant) step ahead of the big metropolises. In 2016-2017, citizens started making payments in Bitcoin (the encrypted digital currency) for utilities and taxes.

Taxes are not only light for businesses. The people of Zug are also very happy because they pay half as much taxes as the other cantons. Now you should understand why Zoug’s residents are always smiling and why it’s an opportune time to invest in real estate in Zug.

All of these savings make it possible to have a high quality of life to the fullest extent. With a breathtaking landscape, houses on large plots and beautiful views, boat excursions on the canton’s lakes, ski days in the mountains, and the famous Zug Bull Market, a very popular and exciting event that attracts more than 10, 000 visitors a year.

As for the gourmands out there, Zug hasn’t forgotten about you with its exceptional specialties. We’re huge fans of the Zuger Kirschtorte, a delicious layered cake infused with Kirsch cherry brandy, which is a regional product of Zug.

In conclusion, the Zugs mean business when it comes to finance, and cake.