The Swiss franc’s rally is testing the country’s export backbone - and the digital signage sector is not immune. Since January 2025, the Swiss franc has appreciated by roughly 17%, compressing margins across export‑heavy industries and raising fresh questions about pricing power and budget planning for 2026.
Switzerland: Swiss Franc Surge Puts Pressure on Businesses
Swiss business associations warn that the currency’s persistent strength is eroding international competitiveness. Switzerland’s global businesses have already flagged the impact in their 2025 results, citing revenue shortfalls of around 5% attributable to FX effects.
The macro backdrop amplifies the pressure: the franc gained 14% last year and has added a further 3% year‑to‑date as investors sought a safe haven amid geopolitical volatility and a weaker US dollar. In an economy where exports of goods and services account for more than 70% of GDP, currency moves quickly translate into operational realities – pricing, procurement and headcount planning.
Digital Signage: Small Market, Big Exposure
The Swiss digital signage market remains relatively compact at premium margins – led by Swisscom (JLS) alongside a handful of smaller integrators such as Bild + Ton, Kilchenmann and Echion Switzerland. At the same time, several well‑known Swiss digital signage solution providers – including Navori, Spinetix and Cingerine – are predominantly export‑oriented. For these companies, the combination of a high domestic cost base and a strong franc intensifies margin pressure, even if a significant portion of engineering or support teams is located outside Switzerland.
Project bids priced in euros or dollars become harder to win without concessions on scope or support, while imported components quoted in foreign currencies complicate forecasting and cash‑flow management.
One of the main reasons why Swiss-integrators focus on the domestic market and are rarely visible in neighbouring markets like Germany, France or Italy. For EU projects, Swiss integrators partner with contract manufacturers in Slovakia, Hungary or Poland can lower logistics and tariff sensitivity while improving lead times.
CMS Software developers like Navori are more immune against the strengthening home currency as software revenues as well as costs are mostly in foreign currencies – predominantly in USD.
Tariffs and Strong Franc: A Double Headwind
Beyond foreign exchange rates, trade policy remains a second critical variable. Switzerland and the United States reached a political framework last year to cap additional US tariffs on Swiss exports at 15%, down from 39% previously. However, the arrangement is not yet a binding treaty. Negotiators on both sides are working on the legal text and implementation details. Until a final agreement is signed and enacted, exporters must plan for uncertainty across shipping schedules, landed costs and contractual risk sharing.
For hardware digital signage stakeholders, the combination of currency risk and tariff ambiguity reshapes project timelines and contracting. Retail networks delaying rollouts, hospitality operators phasing upgrades, and corporate clients reprioritizing capex toward software and services – all are plausible responses when cost visibility deteriorates.
Outlook
If the franc remains elevated, domestic consolidation pressures could intensify – particularly for smaller integrators. Conversely, export‑savvy software vendors may find opportunities in licensing and white‑label partnerships, where revenue is less hardware‑bound and more resilient to foreign exchange rates. For now, Switzerland’s digital signage ecosystem faces a familiar test: protecting competitiveness in a high‑cost, strong‑currency environment – while maintaining the innovation and reliability that define the Swiss brand.
