Tandem Finance: Online Banking Security for Older Adults

Tandem Finance is a joint project of the Institute for Ageing Research and Margerite GmbH. Its aim is to develop a secure, user‑centred digital co‑banking solution that enables older adults in Switzerland to manage their finances autonomously in an increasingly digital banking environment, while allowing for targeted and transparent support from trusted persons.

The project responds to the rapid digitalisation of the banking sector and the ongoing closure of physical bank branches. For many older adults, particularly those with limited digital skills or age‑related impairments, this shift creates significant barriers to independent use of online and mobile banking. In everyday practice, financial support is often provided informally by relatives or close others, sometimes involving the sharing of login credentials. Such practices pose substantial risks in terms of privacy, data security and potential financial abuse.

Tandem Finance addresses this structural gap by introducing a co‑banking “tandem” model that preserves financial autonomy while enabling structured support. Instead of joint accounts or blanket authorisations, the solution is based on clearly defined roles, rule‑based permissions and system‑embedded protection mechanisms. Trusted persons can be involved in specific situations without gaining unrestricted access or control over financial resources.
The solution is designed to be integrated into existing online and mobile banking environments and draws on control logics from corporate banking that are transferred, for the first time, to private banking for older adults. By embedding preventive security mechanisms and transparent decision structures directly into digital banking systems, Tandem Finance aims to reduce fraud risks, misdirected transactions and unsafe practices.

The Institute for Ageing Research provides the scientific foundation of the project through participatory, user‑centred research. In summer 2026, workshops with older adults and trusted persons will be conducted to capture real‑life needs, experiences and support practices. These insights will directly inform the iterative development of the co‑banking solution in collaboration with Margerite GmbH.

By combining digital innovation with ageing research, Tandem Finance contributes to financial inclusion, strengthens autonomy in later life and supports secure participation in an increasingly digital society. The project is made possible through an Innosuisse Innovation Cheque.