AKB, SGKB, and SHKB: The Cantonal Network: Managing Accounts Across AKB, SGKB, and SHKB

While Switzerland is known for its global financial hubs, its economic backbone is the network of Cantonal Banks. For businesses operating in the regions of Aargau, St. Gallen, and Schaffhausen, the digital portals of Aargauische Kantonalbank (AKB), St. Galler Kantonalbank (SGKB), and Schaffhauser Kantonalbank (SHKB) provide a unified, institutional-grade banking experience. Although they serve different regions, these banks share a common technological DNA, prioritizing "Swiss-made" security and seamless integration with corporate accounting ecosystems.

The Unified Regional Interface

Despite their regional focus, these banks utilize a highly standardized digital infrastructure. This ensures that a business owner with accounts across different cantons can navigate each portal with a familiar user experience.

Core features shared across the AKB, SGKB, and SHKB suites include:

• Asset Cockpit: A high-level dashboard providing real-time visibility into account balances, securities, and debt obligations.
• Intelligent Payment Wizards: Simplified entry for domestic and international transfers, including built-in IBAN validation and exchange rate calculators.
• Document Management: Secure digital archives for bank statements, tax documents, and investment reports, typically stored for up to 10 years for compliance.

The "Scan & Pay" Standard

At the heart of these portals is the Swiss QR-Bill technology. By integrating high-speed scanning into their mobile applications, AKB, SGKB, and SHKB have virtually eliminated manual data entry in accounts payable.

1. Mobile Capture: Users scan the QR-bill using their smartphone camera via the bank's app.
2. Instant Synchronization: The payment details are instantly visible in the desktop E-Banking portal for final review and authorization.
3. eBill Support: All three banks support the eBill standard, allowing businesses to receive and pay invoices entirely digitally—bypassing email and physical mail altogether.

Direct Connectivity: bLink and API Integration

For SMEs, the most powerful feature of these cantonal portals is their ability to "speak" to accounting software. Through the bLink open banking platform, AKB, SGKB, and SHKB provide direct, automated data feeds to:

• Bexio & Abacus: Real-time reconciliation of bank statements with accounting ledgers.
• Klara & AbaNinja: Automated payment synchronization, ensuring that when an invoice is paid in the bank, it is marked as paid in the software.

Security Protocols: CrontoSign and FaceID

Security is the "Gold Standard" for the cantonal network. These banks utilize multi-layered authentication to shield corporate assets from unauthorized access.

Dual Authorization (Four-Eyes Principle): A standard feature for all commercial contracts. It ensures that any payment initiated by one user must be reviewed and digitally signed by a second authorized user before it can be executed.

Corporate Governance and User Management

The administrative modules in these portals are designed for complex team structures. "Master Users" can assign granular permissions, such as:

• View Only: For external auditors or junior accounting staff.
• Signature Power A/B: Implementing complex signature rules where certain users can only sign in combination with others.
• Limit Management: Setting daily or monthly transaction caps for specific employees to mitigate risk.

Conclusion

The Cantonal Network represents the perfect balance between regional proximity and global technological standards. Whether you are managing the payroll for a factory in Aargau, a tech startup in St. Gallen, or a logistics firm in Schaffhausen, the digital suites of AKB, SGKB, and SHKB provide the secure, efficient, and integrated foundation required for Swiss corporate excellence.