In the Zurich area, 75’000 people work for banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions. The financial industry as a whole employs more than 10% of the entire workforce in the Canton of Zurich, compared to the Swiss average of 5%. In 2000 the financial industry accounted for around CHF 25 billion of the gross domestic product of the Canton of Zurich, which corresponds to almost 30%. For Switzerland as a whole, the contribution of the financial sector is 16%.

International comparisons show that Zurich, as a financial center, has relatively higher significance in terms of employment and real net output than the financial centers of New York, London, Frankfurt and Paris for their regions. The outstanding importance of the city as a financial center gives a considerable boost to Zurich's economy as a whole. Public finances also benefit from this, by profiting from tax revenue generated by the financial industry.

A factor that has traditionally been one of Zurich's strengths is the quality of its infrastructure – including its international transport connections. A highly qualified workforce and the educational opportunities are further background factors contributing to the successful financial center.