[3] Under the law, the canton of Zürich bears responsibility for all ZKB's liabilities should the bank's resources prove inadequate.

This cantonal guarantee acts as a stabilising force for the financial market as a whole, particularly in times of economic uncertainty.

In November 2013, Zürcher Kantonalbank was classified as a systemically important bank in Switzerland by order of the Swiss National Bank, alongside UBS, Credit Suisse, Raiffeisen (Switzerland) and PostFinance, and must meet stricter capital requirements and prepare contingency plans for times of crisis.

ZKB also maintains a network of international representatives and regional advisory offices in Beijing, Mumbai, Singapore, Panama, and São Paulo.

[7] On 15 March 2006, Zurich Cantonal Bank launched the ZKB Gold ETF, which is listed in Switzerland under the symbol ZGLD.