BCGE Maestro card
The BCGE Maestro card is the indispensable means of payment for your ATM withdrawals and for paying for your purchases in shops in Switzerland and abroad.
The essentials
The ideal card to make your everyday life easier.
Contactless payment
With your BCGE Maestro card, you can pay for your purchases in numerous shops displaying the Maestro logo both in Switzerland and abroad. BCGE Maestro cards are equipped with the contactless function.
Payments of less than CHF 80 can therefore be paid simply and without entering a PIN code at shops displaying the pictogram above. Simply present your Maestro card at the payment terminal and the payment will be made.
- For payments above CHF 80, you still have to enter your PIN code.
- For security reasons, the contactless function is deactivated when the Maestro card is sent to you.
- To activate the contactless function, you must first carry out a transaction at an ATM or payment terminal by inserting the card into the reader (cash withdrawal, balance inquiry, payment at a shop). Once the function has been activated, you only need to present your card at the payment terminal for the payment to be made.
- This function can be deactivated by contacting our online bank at 058 211 21 00
Withdrawals and payments
The BCGE Maestro card allows you to withdraw cash from ATMs in Switzerland and abroad. Cash withdrawals from cantonal bank ATMs in Switzerland are free. You can also deposit cash on your accounts, both notes and coins, in CHF and EUR, and exchange these currencies at a very competitive rate at BCGE ATMs.
Access to your funds
With the multi-account function, you can consult your accounts or make withdrawals at BCGE ATMs from most of your accounts with a single card. You can also consult the balances of your accounts with the Maestro card.
Greater transaction security
To protect yourself against skimming types of fraud (copy of bank card data), the BCGE recommends that you activate the geoblocking* function on your BCGE Maestro card. This functionality enables you to block all or part of the geographical regions where Maestro card transactions are not wanted. In this way you can specify those regions where you authorise withdrawals and payments with your Maestro card. This modification can be temporary or for an indefinite period. Also for your security, the daily limit value for Maestro card usage in all countries outside Switzerland and Europe has been fixed at CHF 3,000 maximum. This limit corresponds to the maximum daily amount for ATM withdrawals or purchase payments using a Maestro card.
Details of the geographical areas can be found in the information sheet.
Simple measures to be followed to prevent fraud
Read our instructions carefully to prevent the risk of fraud when using your BCGE Maestro card.
Further information
Geoblocking system
The geoblocking function can be activated/disabled very easily: - On the BCGE Netbanking platform (Cards menu), available 24/24, 7/7
- Via a secure messaging system
- At our online Bank 058 211 21 00 (monday to friday from 7.30am to 7.30pm, saturday from 9am to 4pm and sunday from 9am to 1pm)